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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bank — for money
  3. clip — to cut
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. clip — for paper
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. race — a contest
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bank — for money
  11. scale — size or range
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. scale — in music
  15. board — a committee
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bank — of a river
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. board — to get on
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. clip — a video
  23. bear — the animal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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