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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: nail · bound · pass · cell · branch · patient · mark · tube

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. tube — the underground
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bound — tied together
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. mark — a grade
  9. branch — a division
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — a phone
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bound — certain
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. tube — a container
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — obliged
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mark — a trace
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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