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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: ground · leaves · deal · patient · branch · ruler · track · object

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. track — a path
  4. ground — crushed
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. deal — to handle
  10. track — to keep track
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. object — an aim
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — a position
  17. object — a thing
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. object — to protest
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. branch — a division
  24. track — a song

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