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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · pass · fine · branch · squash · march · patient · current

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  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. squash — the sport
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. current — of water
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. march — the month
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. branch — a division
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. current — electric
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pass — a permit
  12. fine — high quality
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. plane — a tool
  15. squash — to crush
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fine — all right
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. current — happening now
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  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