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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: cap · board · branch · pound · wave · patient · rush · safe

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cap — a lid
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. board — to get on
  11. pound — a weight
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. branch — a division
  15. rush — hurry
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cap — of ice
  22. board — a committee
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pound — to hit hard

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