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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: branch · bank · snap · key · shower · plane · patient · ball

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. 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. key — for a lock
  2. shower — to wash
  3. key — the most important part
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bank — for money
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. key — in music
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. ball — a great time
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ball — a dance
  16. snap — to click
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bank — for money
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bank — of a river
  22. branch — a division
  23. shower — rain
  24. 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