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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: wound · patient · cap · stand · mug · branch · face · calf

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. mug — to rob
  5. face — part of the head
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cap — a hat
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mug — a face
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wound — an injury
  16. cap — a lid
  17. branch — a division
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cap — of ice
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. face — to confront

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