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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 120 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: capital · plane · branch · hide · bulb · mate · nail · pound

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. branch — a division
  3. bulb — for light
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. capital — a city
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mate — a partner
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. plane — a tool
  14. capital — money
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. mate — a friend
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pound — a weight
  24. nail — for a hammer

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