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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 120 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: plane · deal · branch · scale · chest · rest · leaves · court

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. rest — what's left
  4. court — of a king
  5. deal — to handle
  6. chest — a box
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. scale — in music
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. chest — of your body
  17. scale — size or range
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. chest — of your body
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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