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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: tube · branch · shower · degree · rock · plane · cabinet · staff

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. degree — from a university
  3. shower — to wash
  4. rock — a stone
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. degree — temperature
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rock — music
  11. tube — the underground
  12. plane — a tool
  13. degree — an amount
  14. staff — a stick
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — rain
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. staff — employees
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. tube — a container
  21. staff — employees
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. branch — a division
  24. cabinet — ministers

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