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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. stand — to bear
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bank — of a river
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pitch — completely
  7. club — a group
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bank — for money
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bank — for money
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — the sport
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. squash — to crush
  20. club — for dancing
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. trunk — of a tree

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