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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: branch · staff · plane · bulb · rush · clip · bowl · rock

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rock — music
  3. staff — employees
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rush — hurry
  9. clip — a video
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. staff — employees
  13. bulb — for light
  14. branch — a division
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bulb — for light
  19. clip — to cut
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. plane — a tool
  22. clip — for paper
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. branch — of a bank

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