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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 120 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
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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: fine · branch · patient · board · plane · field · vault · staff

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. branch — a division
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. staff — a stick
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fine — all right
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. staff — employees
  12. board — to get on
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. board — a committee
  16. staff — employees
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. field — a subject
  19. plane — a tool
  20. field — farmland
  21. field — for sport
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. patient — a sick person

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