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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.

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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: branch · pop · bore · pass · plane · bay · lean · dip

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pop — to visit
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pop — soda
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pop — music
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. branch — a division
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. lean — thin
  20. pass — a permit
  21. bore — to drill
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. dip — to sink

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