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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.

Words on the sheet
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: kick · wave · spring · patient · fan · branch · stand · bear

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. spring — a coil
  8. stand — to bear
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. branch — a division
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. kick — in football
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — of water
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. fan — a supporter

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