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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 120 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: cue · fine · plane · branch · patient · wave · foot · kick

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cue — a hint
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. plane — a tool
  12. cue — a signal
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. fine — all right
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. foot — a measure
  23. branch — a division
  24. cue — for pool

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