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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. craft — boats
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. craft — a skill
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. stand — to bear
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. craft — a handicraft

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