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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: cell · pop · arm · board · suit · plane · branch · bound

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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. branch — of a tree
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cell — in biology
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. suit — clothes
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — obliged
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. pop — soda
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. suit — in cards
  15. board — to get on
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pop — to visit
  18. suit — to fit
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bound — tied together
  21. board — a committee
  22. pop — music
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. plane — a tool

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