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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: fall · branch · last · bulb · firm · bear · patient · charge

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. bulb — for light
  3. firm — steady
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fall — the season
  8. last — finally
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. firm — a company
  11. charge — a price
  12. branch — a division
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. last — to go on
  16. firm — decided
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. fall — to drop
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bear — the animal
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. charge — in control

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