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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
468
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: branch · hand · temple · squash · club · plane · file · mate

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — to crush
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. squash — the sport
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. club — for dancing
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. mate — a partner
  13. club — a group
  14. file — a tool
  15. hand — in cards
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a line of people
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. hand — help
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. club — for golf
  24. branch — a division

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