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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 116 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: bulb · face · patient · plane · ground · mouse · branch · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. branch — a division
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. face — part of the head
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mark — a grade
  11. ground — crushed
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mark — a trace
  17. face — to confront
  18. plane — a tool
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. face — to point toward
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mouse — the animal

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