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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. track — a song
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. key — in music
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bear — the animal
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. track — to keep track
  12. foot — a measure
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bank — for money
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. track — a path
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bank — for money
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — a cake
  24. patient — a sick person

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