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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: patient · leaves · safe · branch · rush · degree · bulb · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rush — hurry
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bank — of a river
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bulb — for light
  10. degree — from a university
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bank — for money
  13. branch — a division
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. degree — an amount
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. degree — temperature
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. leaves — to go away

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