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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. ground — a position
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. stand — to bear
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rush — hurry
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. branch — a division
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. safe — a strongbox

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