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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. branch — a division
  3. fall — the season
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. present — a gift
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cap — of ice
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wind — moving air
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cap — a hat
  19. wind — moving air
  20. present — the time now
  21. fall — to drop
  22. cap — a lid
  23. present — there
  24. wind — to turn a key

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