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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. staff — a stick
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bank — for money
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cap — of ice
  13. land — to come down
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. staff — employees
  17. land — ground
  18. march — music
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. land — a country
  21. cap — a lid
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. staff — employees
  24. ball — a great time

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