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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rash · rush · branch · plane · mine · deal · fan · spring

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. spring — a coil
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. spring — of water
  6. rash — hasty
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mine — for digging
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rash — a series
  15. spring — the season
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. plane — a tool
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. plane — an aircraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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