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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. game — a match
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bank — of a river
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bank — for money
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. kid — child
  21. bulb — for light
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. calf — a young animal

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