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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: plane · cell · stand · snap · branch · kick · rush · patient

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stand — to bear
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. cell — a phone
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. rush — hurry
  16. kick — in football
  17. cell — in biology
  18. snap — to click
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. stand — on your feet

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