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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · wake · bark · fall · fine · plane · branch · key

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. chip — for betting
  6. wake — a trail
  7. bark — to shout
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. key — the most important part
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. key — in music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. fine — high quality
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. chip — to eat
  21. fine — all right
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fall — the season

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