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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: current · date · branch · tear · wave · fine · rock · patient

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. fine — high quality
  4. current — of water
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rock — music
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fine — all right
  9. tear — from crying
  10. current — happening now
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. tear — from crying
  14. current — electric
  15. branch — a division
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. tear — to rip
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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