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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: game · pass · branch · patient · rush · stock · present · mug

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. game — a match
  3. present — the time now
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stock — shares
  7. rush — hurry
  8. present — there
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. branch — a division
  11. game — wild animals
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. present — a gift
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — a cup
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. stock — goods
  24. branch — of a tree

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