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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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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: charge · plane · lean · cue · wake · branch · bat · fan

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. charge — in control
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. wake — a trail
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. bat — the animal
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. charge — a price
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lean — to bend
  13. charge — electricity
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. lean — thin
  21. cue — a hint
  22. branch — a division
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bat — in an idiom

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