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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.

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: race · patient · can · key · branch · straw · trunk · bulb

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. race — the arms race
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. race — a contest
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. branch — a division
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. bulb — for light
  17. key — in music
  18. race — humankind
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. can — to be able to

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