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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. ball — a round shape
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pop — soda
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mug — to rob
  9. hand — help
  10. net — in sport
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pop — to visit
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. hand — in cards
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pop — music
  18. mug — a face
  19. net — for catching
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. net — after costs
  22. bank — for money
  23. fan — a supporter
  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