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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: stock · bass · branch · prune · plane · object · craft · coach

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. branch — a division
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stock — shares
  5. prune — to trim
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the fish
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. object — a thing
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. craft — boats
  19. object — to protest
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. object — an aim
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. prune — to trim
  24. stock — goods

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