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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
468
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: spell · leaves · clip · patient · mine · plane · branch · pass

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — for paper
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pass — a permit
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. branch — a division
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. spell — letters
  21. clip — a video
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. spell — magic
  24. plane — a tool

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