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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.

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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: can · cue · pitcher · branch · plane · mark · shower · wound

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. mark — a grade
  7. can — to be able to
  8. shower — to wash
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wound — an injury
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. can — a tin
  19. cue — for pool
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cue — a signal
  22. plane — a tool
  23. can — a tin
  24. mark — a trace

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