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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: mate · mug · date · roll · branch · bank · clip · patient

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. clip — for paper
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. date — the fruit
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. mug — a cup
  7. clip — a video
  8. bank — for money
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bank — of a river
  11. mate — a friend
  12. roll — a list
  13. mug — a face
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bank — for money
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. mate — to breed
  18. roll — a cake
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. branch — a division
  21. clip — to cut
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. branch — of a bank

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