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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: pit · firm · toast · patient · wake · arm · kick · branch

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wake — a trail
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. firm — a company
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. pit — a hole
  16. firm — decided
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. firm — steady
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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