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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rest — a break
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. degree — an amount
  6. mate — a partner
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mate — a friend
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. mate — to breed
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. rest — what's left
  22. degree — from a university
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. branch — a division

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