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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 120 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: branch · fall · patient · mug · drill · club · bank · dip

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mug — to rob
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. club — a group
  9. mug — a cup
  10. fall — to drop
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. drill — a practice
  14. dip — to sink
  15. drill — army training
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bank — for money
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. branch — a division
  22. drill — the tool
  23. club — for golf
  24. mug — a face

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