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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 116 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: race · patient · dip · press · safe · ruler · mate · branch

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — a contest
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mate — a partner
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. press — to push
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mate — to breed
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mate — a friend
  18. dip — to sink
  19. press — a publisher
  20. race — the arms race
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. branch — a division
  24. press — newspapers

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