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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 116 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: land · branch · plane · game · rule · rock · nail · bank

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bank — of a river
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. land — a country
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. game — a match
  10. branch — a division
  11. land — to come down
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. game — wild animals
  19. rule — government
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. plane — a tool
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. rule — a law
  24. rock — music

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