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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 116 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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. land — to come down
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. land — ground
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. land — a country
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rock — music
  16. pit — in a race
  17. branch — a division
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. branch — of a bank

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