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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: dip · branch · chest · cap · firm · current · plane · craft

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  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. chest — a box
  2. chest — of your body
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. current — electric
  5. plane — a tool
  6. firm — decided
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. craft — boats
  9. current — of water
  10. chest — of your body
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. current — happening now
  15. firm — a company
  16. branch — a division
  17. cap — a hat
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. craft — a skill
  20. cap — a lid
  21. firm — steady
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. cap — of ice
  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