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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. plane — a tool
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bass — low music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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