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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bore — to tire
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bank — for money
  5. chip — for betting
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. chip — to eat
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bank — of a river
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. can — a tin
  16. branch — a division
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. bank — for money
  21. can — a tin
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bore — to drill
  24. arm — part of the body

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