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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. ground — a position
  3. rash — a series
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. kick — in football
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — the earth
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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