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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. object — a thing
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. foot — a measure
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cell — in biology
  13. bank — for money
  14. saw — the tool
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. object — to protest
  17. drill — the tool
  18. cell — a phone
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. saw — the tool
  22. object — an aim
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. drill — army training

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