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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: branch · dip · wave · stand · bass · stock · patient · pitcher

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. branch — a division
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stock — shares
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. stock — goods
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — low music
  24. stand — for spectators

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