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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.

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: mug · fall · patient · nail · pass · key · present · branch

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. key — the most important part
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. key — in music
  6. mug — a face
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. fall — the season
  9. present — there
  10. key — for a lock
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mug — a cup
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. present — a gift
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. present — the time now
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pass — a permit
  23. branch — a division
  24. nail — on a finger

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