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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. cue — a signal
  9. game — wild animals
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. branch — a division
  12. roll — a cake
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. cue — a hint
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cue — for pool
  18. rush — hurry
  19. game — a match
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. roll — a list
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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