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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 116 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: branch · safe · drill · plane · fork · file · lash · patient

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. drill — the tool
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. file — a line of people
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. branch — a division
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. file — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. file — a document
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — in a road
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. plane — a tool
  24. drill — a practice

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