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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · patient · face · fine · craft · branch

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — all right
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. can — a tin
  10. face — to point toward
  11. can — to be able to
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. can — a tin
  14. face — part of the head
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. branch — a division
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. craft — boats

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