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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 116 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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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: bulb · tear · mark · fan · plane · saw · branch · deal

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. branch — a division
  5. bulb — for light
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. saw — the tool
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mark — a grade
  17. deal — to handle
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. tear — from crying

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