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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. toast — bread
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bank — for money
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bank — for money
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bank — of a river
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. stand — to bear
  19. chair — a leader
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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