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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: current · fine · lean · mark · patient · branch · ball · hand

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. hand — in cards
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. branch — a division
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fine — high quality
  8. hand — help
  9. ball — a great time
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. lean — to bend
  12. current — of water
  13. fine — all right
  14. ball — a dance
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. current — electric
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. lean — thin
  22. mark — a grade
  23. current — happening now
  24. fine — a penalty

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