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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: press · mug · march · face · branch · club · bulb · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mug — a cup
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bulb — for light
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — a group
  8. march — music
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. press — newspapers
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. face — to point toward
  13. mug — a face
  14. face — part of the head
  15. club — for golf
  16. mug — to rob
  17. face — to confront
  18. press — to push
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. press — a publisher
  21. branch — a division
  22. march — the month
  23. bulb — for light
  24. march — the month

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