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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rock — a stone
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rock — music
  12. press — newspapers
  13. content — happy
  14. press — a publisher
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. content — the amount
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. band — a ring
  21. press — to push
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. band — a music group
  24. fork — in a road

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