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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: bay · branch · bowl · patient · safe · file · wake · lie

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — a division
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wake — a trail
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. file — a tool
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. file — a document
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. file — a line of people
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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