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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — to fit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. race — a contest
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bank — of a river
  15. wind — moving air
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. race — the arms race
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. race — humankind
  22. bank — for money
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bank — for money

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