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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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468
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: staff · wake · patient · charge · kick · fork · fine · branch

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. staff — employees
  5. kick — in football
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. charge — electricity
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. branch — a division
  15. charge — in control
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fine — all right
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fork — in a road
  22. staff — employees
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. charge — a price

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