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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: bulb · clip · rash · branch · can · patient · safe · last

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. last — finally
  4. bulb — for light
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rash — hasty
  8. last — to go on
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. can — a tin
  11. last — final
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. clip — a video
  17. branch — a division
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. rash — a series
  23. bulb — for light
  24. clip — for paper

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