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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: patient · firm · mouse · lean · wave · branch · content · face

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. branch — a division
  6. content — the amount
  7. face — part of the head
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. face — to point toward
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. face — to confront
  18. firm — decided
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. content — happy

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