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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. field — farmland
  9. firm — decided
  10. hand — in cards
  11. field — a subject
  12. pit — a hole
  13. firm — steady
  14. rest — a break
  15. pop — music
  16. field — for sport
  17. firm — a company
  18. pop — soda
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pit — in a race
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. hand — help
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bank — of a river

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