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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.

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: present · branch · net · patient · wound · lash · mark · bear

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. bear — the animal
  3. net — for catching
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. wound — an injury
  11. net — after costs
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. present — the time now
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. net — in sport
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — there
  23. wound — an injury
  24. mark — a grade

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