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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: firm · leaves · patient · file · rash · wave · spell · branch

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. spell — a short time
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. file — a line of people
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. file — a tool
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. spell — magic
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — a series
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rash — hasty
  15. firm — a company
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. file — a document
  20. firm — decided
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. spell — letters
  23. firm — steady
  24. patient — a sick person

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