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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 · suit · branch · shower · rush · plane · face · wind

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. suit — clothes
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. branch — a division
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. wind — moving air
  10. shower — rain
  11. rush — hurry
  12. suit — in cards
  13. face — part of the head
  14. wind — moving air
  15. shower — to wash
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. face — to confront
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. suit — to fit
  22. face — to point toward
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. plane — an aircraft

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