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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bound — tied together
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. deal — to handle
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bound — obliged
  12. scale — in music
  13. stand — to bear
  14. lie — to recline
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bound — certain
  19. scale — size or range
  20. branch — a division
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. patient — a sick person

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