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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: fan · patient · current · fine · board · branch · mark · fall

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. current — electric
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mark — a trace
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. board — a committee
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fall — to drop
  13. current — of water
  14. board — to get on
  15. fine — all right
  16. current — happening now
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fall — the season
  20. mark — a grade
  21. branch — a division
  22. fine — high quality
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mark — to pay attention

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