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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. branch — a division
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. season — of the year
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. land — to come down
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. lean — thin
  11. land — ground
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. season — in sport
  16. land — a country
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. season — to add flavour

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