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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 120 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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  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. patient — calm and waiting
  2. stock — shares
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. board — a committee
  6. bank — of a river
  7. wound — an injury
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. stock — goods
  13. wound — an injury
  14. board — to get on
  15. bank — for money
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pound — a weight
  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