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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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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: bank · wind · patient · bay · pound · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bank — for money
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pound — a weight
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bank — for money
  17. wind — moving air
  18. pound — for dogs

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