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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 116 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: can · branch · rush · patient · club · pass · mark · track

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. club — for dancing
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. club — for golf
  8. rush — hurry
  9. mark — a grade
  10. track — a song
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. track — a path
  13. club — a group
  14. can — a tin
  15. pass — a permit
  16. can — to be able to
  17. branch — a division
  18. can — a tin
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. track — to keep track
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — to succeed

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