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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: can · lie · board · patient · cap · wound · branch · pit

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. board — to get on
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — an injury
  9. can — a tin
  10. board — a committee
  11. cap — a hat
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pit — in a race
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. cap — of ice
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. can — a tin
  18. cap — a lid
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. can — to be able to
  24. branch — a division

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