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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. staff — a stick
  3. last — finally
  4. staff — employees
  5. land — to come down
  6. staff — employees
  7. march — music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. land — a country
  10. bank — for money
  11. kick — in football
  12. march — the month
  13. last — final
  14. bank — of a river
  15. land — ground
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. last — to go on
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. plane — a tool
  23. march — the month
  24. bank — for money

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