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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.

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: branch · trunk · rash · pass · object · pitch · fork · patient

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. fork — in a road
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. branch — a division
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. object — a thing
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. object — to protest
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rash — a series
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sports field

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