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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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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: fine · board · net · deal · patient · branch · rest · bound

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — tied together
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bound — certain
  9. net — in sport
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. board — a committee
  12. rest — a break
  13. net — after costs
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. net — for catching
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. fine — all right
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. branch — a division
  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