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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pit · safe · bear · leaves · fan · branch · pitcher · patient

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pit — a hole
  9. branch — a division
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bear — the animal
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pit — in a race
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pitcher — a jug

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