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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: staff · current · wave · branch · plane · capital · patient · dip

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. capital — money
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. current — happening now
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. branch — a division
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. plane — a tool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. current — of water
  16. staff — a stick
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — employees
  20. capital — a city
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. current — electric
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. capital — a big letter

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