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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 120 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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. charge — electricity
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stand — to bear
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. object — a thing
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. object — an aim
  14. snap — to click
  15. charge — in control
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. charge — a price
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. object — to protest
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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