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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.

Words on the sheet
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: branch · deal · mine · plane · bulb · patient · bay · drill

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. deal — to handle
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — the tool
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bulb — for light
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. drill — army training
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. branch — a division
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bulb — for light
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bulb — of a plant

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