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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 116 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: plane · swing · prune · branch · board · content · can · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. can — a tin
  8. rest — a break
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — to play on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rest — what's left
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. content — the amount
  17. branch — a division
  18. plane — a tool
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. swing — music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. content — happy
  23. prune — to trim
  24. branch — of a bank

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