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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
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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: branch · last · rock · patient · drill · present · jam · swing

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. drill — a practice
  3. last — finally
  4. present — the time now
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. present — there
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. swing — in golf
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. last — final
  13. branch — a division
  14. drill — the tool
  15. last — to go on
  16. swing — music
  17. present — a gift
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. drill — army training
  22. swing — to play on
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. rock — music

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