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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: charge · toast · bass · rash · rush · prune · branch · patient

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. branch — a division
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. prune — to trim
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rash — a series
  10. bass — the fish
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. charge — in control
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — hasty
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. prune — to trim
  23. toast — bread
  24. patient — a sick person

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