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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: suit · lie · march · patient · wave · chair · branch · ground

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. suit — clothes
  5. march — the month
  6. ground — a position
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. lie — to recline
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chair — a leader
  16. branch — a division
  17. ground — crushed
  18. march — the month
  19. ground — the earth
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. march — music
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. wave — of the sea

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