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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: track · wave · patient · land · pitcher · branch · charge · pit

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  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. branch — a division
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. charge — in control
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. track — to keep track
  7. land — ground
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pit — a hole
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pit — in a race
  15. track — a path
  16. charge — electricity
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — a country
  21. charge — a price
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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