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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: patient · plane · trunk · fall · pass · branch · cap · nail

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fall — the season
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — a permit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. cap — a hat
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. branch — a division
  24. cap — a lid

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