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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bank — for money
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rock — music
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bank — for money
  11. rock — a stone
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. season — in sport

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