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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. file — a line of people
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. file — a document
  9. season — in sport
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. file — a tool
  14. bank — of a river
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bank — for money
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. branch — a division
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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