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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. track — a song
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. track — to keep track
  8. date — the fruit
  9. squash — the sport
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. degree — temperature
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. degree — from a university
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. degree — an amount
  19. branch — a division
  20. squash — to crush
  21. club — for dancing
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. track — a path
  24. leaves — to go away

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