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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: branch · face · board · saw · patient · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. face — part of the head
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — to get on
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. face — to confront
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. branch — a division
  18. patient — a sick person

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