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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. bulb — for light
  3. branch — a division
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bank — for money
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bank — for money
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bank — of a river
  12. race — the arms race
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. spell — letters
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. race — a contest
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. race — humankind

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