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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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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rest — a break
  10. foot — a measure
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. craft — boats
  16. bore — to drill
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. shower — rain
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. bank — for money
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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