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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 116 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. wake — a trail
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. mate — a partner
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wound — an injury
  14. current — happening now
  15. mate — a friend
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a hole
  18. current — electric
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. sharp — clever
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. branch — a division
  23. current — of water
  24. mate — to breed

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