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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: swing · pass · march · plane · bank · key · patient · wound

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. march — the month
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bank — for money
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — for a lock
  7. swing — music
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. swing — to play on
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bank — of a river
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pass — a permit
  16. key — in music
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. swing — in golf
  19. march — music
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. march — the month
  22. wound — an injury
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pass — to spend time

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