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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: hand · plane · stock · branch · bay · lean · mark · current

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stock — shares
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. lean — thin
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. lean — to bend
  15. current — of water
  16. stock — goods
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. plane — a tool
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mark — a trace
  22. branch — a division
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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