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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: content · mouse · lean · patient · hand · rock · pit · branch

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. lean — thin
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — help
  15. lean — to bend
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rock — music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. content — the amount
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. content — happy
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. branch — of a bank

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