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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: plane · patient · bark · branch · jam · track

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. track — a path
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. branch — a division
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bark — to shout
  18. 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