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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. ground — the earth
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. branch — a division
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rule — a law
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rule — government
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. stem — to come from

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