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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: bowl · plane · snap · chair · bear · branch · safe · sharp

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. branch — a division
  9. bear — the animal
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bear — the animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a leader
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. snap — to click
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. sharp — clever

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