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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: safe · pitch · patient · dip · lash · present · branch · cell

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cell — a phone
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. present — there
  11. branch — a division
  12. pitch — completely
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. present — the time now
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. present — a gift
  24. dip — a sauce

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