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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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Word bank
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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. bank — for money
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. row — to paddle
  5. key — for a lock
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. present — a gift
  8. bank — for money
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. present — the time now
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bank — of a river
  18. present — there
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. key — in music
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. vault — a safe
  23. key — the most important part
  24. row — a line

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