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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pit — a hole
  3. net — for catching
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. date — the fruit
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. root — the cause
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pit — in a race
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. root — of a word
  14. branch — a division
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. net — in sport
  18. root — of a plant
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. net — after costs

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