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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bank — for money
  4. court — of law
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. court — for sport
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. court — of a king
  14. bank — for money
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pitcher — in baseball

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