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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. land — to come down
  4. bore — to drill
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. object — an aim
  8. bore — to tire
  9. land — a country
  10. row — a line
  11. saw — the tool
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. object — a thing
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. tube — the underground
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. object — to protest
  19. row — to paddle
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. land — ground
  22. bank — for money
  23. tube — a container
  24. bank — of a river

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