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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 116 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hand — help
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bank — for money
  6. mate — a partner
  7. club — for dancing
  8. rest — a break
  9. bank — of a river
  10. hand — in cards
  11. club — for golf
  12. bank — for money
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mate — to breed
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bore — to drill
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. mate — a friend
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. club — a group

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