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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: patient · plane · bank · key · degree · nail · bound · coach

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. degree — from a university
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. degree — an amount
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. plane — a tool
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bound — obliged
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bank — for money
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bank — of a river
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bound — tied together
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bound — certain
  21. degree — temperature
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. key — in music
  24. bank — for money

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