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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: plane · firm · roll · mouse · ball · branch · craft · last

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. ball — a dance
  3. last — finally
  4. roll — a list
  5. craft — a skill
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. last — final
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. last — to go on
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. firm — decided
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. roll — a cake
  20. firm — steady
  21. ball — a great time
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. firm — a company

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