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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: patient · lean · mouse · staff · branch · can · fine · mug

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lean — thin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. staff — employees
  7. mug — to rob
  8. staff — a stick
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mug — a cup
  12. can — a tin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. staff — employees
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. mug — a face
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fine — all right
  24. patient — a sick person

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