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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: rock · patient · wax · row · firm · safe · mug · branch

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. firm — a company
  3. mug — a face
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. firm — decided
  8. row — to paddle
  9. mug — to rob
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mug — a cup
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. rock — music
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. row — a line
  23. wax — to grow
  24. firm — steady

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