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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. wound — an injury
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. cue — for pool
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. cue — a signal
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. saw — the tool
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. date — the fruit
  17. wound — an injury
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. chip — for betting
  20. cue — a hint
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. chip — to eat
  23. saw — the tool
  24. temple — a place of worship

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