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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: band · stock · kick · branch · firm · game · plane · patient

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. plane — a tool
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. firm — decided
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. firm — a company
  9. game — a match
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — shares
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. band — a ring
  21. game — wild animals
  22. band — a music group
  23. firm — steady
  24. branch — a division

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