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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.

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: ground · suit · patient · plane · branch · sharp · shower · mug

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. mug — to rob
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. suit — to fit
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. sharp — clever
  9. shower — to wash
  10. ground — a position
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. mug — a face
  13. plane — a tool
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. suit — in cards
  19. ground — the earth
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mug — a cup
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. shower — rain
  24. ground — crushed

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