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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bank — for money
  4. degree — an amount
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. club — for dancing
  7. suit — clothes
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — in football
  10. club — a group
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bank — of a river
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. branch — a division
  16. degree — from a university
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. club — for golf
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bank — for money
  22. suit — in cards
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fan — a supporter

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