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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: date · bark · season · face · bank · pit · branch · patient

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. branch — a division
  6. season — in sport
  7. face — to point toward
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bank — for money
  10. pit — in a race
  11. date — the fruit
  12. season — of the year
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bank — for money
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — part of the head
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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