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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 120 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
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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 · rest · land · object · current · patient · lie · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rest — what's left
  10. object — a thing
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. current — of water
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. object — to protest
  16. branch — a division
  17. land — to come down
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. object — an aim
  20. current — electric
  21. current — happening now
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pass — a permit
  24. 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