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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. branch — a division
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. present — the time now
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. squash — the sport
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bark — to shout
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. present — a gift
  18. squash — to crush
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. present — there
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. mouse — the animal

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