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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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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: degree · saw · rush · plane · staff · track · patient · bank

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. degree — temperature
  6. staff — employees
  7. plane — a tool
  8. degree — an amount
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. track — a song
  12. track — to keep track
  13. staff — employees
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. staff — a stick
  20. degree — from a university
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bank — of a river
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. track — a path

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