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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  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. patient — a sick person
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a cup
  7. fall — the season
  8. firm — decided
  9. mug — a face
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stock — shares
  14. cue — a signal
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. cue — for pool
  17. stock — goods
  18. mine — for digging
  19. cue — a hint
  20. firm — a company
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bank — for money
  23. firm — steady
  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