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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 · track · bass · pit · wind · lie · patient · rock

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pit — a hole
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. branch — a division
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. track — a path
  13. wind — moving air
  14. track — to keep track
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rock — a stone
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. track — a song
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bass — low music
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bass — the fish
  23. pit — in a race
  24. wind — moving air

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