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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
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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 · bore · patient · bulb · rush · drill · branch · pitcher

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bulb — for light
  5. drill — army training
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. drill — the tool
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. rush — a thrill

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