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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: rush · cabinet · wax · patient · safe · net · swing · branch

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. net — after costs
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wax — to grow
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. branch — a division
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. net — in sport
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. swing — in golf
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. net — for catching
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. swing — music
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — of a tree

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