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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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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: perch · patient · stem · plane · branch · chair · bay · pit

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held 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. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. branch — a division
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. perch — the fish
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. chair — a leader
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. chair — a professorship
  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