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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · file · plane · current · saw · degree · staff · vault

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. staff — a stick
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. saw — the tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. saw — the tool
  7. current — of water
  8. degree — from a university
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. file — a document
  11. degree — an amount
  12. file — a tool
  13. degree — temperature
  14. branch — a division
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. file — a line of people
  19. vault — a safe
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — employees
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com