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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: wind · firm · branch · coach · bowl · plane · safe · capital

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wind — moving air
  10. firm — decided
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. capital — a city
  15. firm — steady
  16. branch — a division
  17. firm — a company
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. wind — moving air
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. capital — money

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