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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. firm — a company
  4. charge — in control
  5. bank — of a river
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. firm — decided
  8. charge — electricity
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. charge — a price
  11. wake — a trail
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. season — of the year
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. season — in sport
  17. clip — to cut
  18. firm — steady
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — a video
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bank — for money
  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