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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stem — to come from
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. degree — temperature
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. degree — from a university
  8. rule — government
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rule — a law
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. degree — an amount
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pit — a hole
  16. branch — a division
  17. pit — in a race
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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