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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: swing · fan · plane · safe · branch · ground · shower · cabinet

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. shower — to wash
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. swing — to play on
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. swing — music
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. ground — a position
  15. shower — rain
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. swing — in golf
  19. branch — a division
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ground — crushed

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