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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stock — goods
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. branch — a division
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stock — shares
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. prune — to trim

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