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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. present — the time now
  6. cap — a hat
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. key — for a lock
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. branch — a division
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. present — there
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. key — in music
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. key — the most important part
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. present — a gift
  22. pound — a weight
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pound — to hit hard

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