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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: key · plane · lean · branch · court · ball · bulb · wake

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. key — in music
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. key — for a lock
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. key — the most important part
  9. court — of law
  10. wake — a trail
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. lean — to bend
  13. ball — a dance
  14. court — for sport
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bulb — for light
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. branch — a division
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lean — thin
  24. plane — an aircraft

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