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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bank — of a river
  4. track — a path
  5. cue — a signal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bank — for money
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. cue — for pool
  15. track — a song
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. track — to keep track
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bank — for money
  24. dip — a sauce

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