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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 120 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  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. branch — of a bank
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. branch — a division
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wax — to grow
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. key — the most important part
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. key — in music
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wax — for sculpting
  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