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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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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 · wound · tube · chip · lean · patient · wind · toast

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wind — moving air
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. chip — for betting
  9. wind — moving air
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. branch — a division
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. chip — to eat
  16. tube — a container
  17. toast — bread
  18. wound — an injury
  19. lean — thin
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. tube — the underground
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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