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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. present — there
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. object — an aim
  6. present — the time now
  7. bank — for money
  8. ground — the earth
  9. track — a song
  10. plane — a tool
  11. track — a path
  12. object — a thing
  13. ground — crushed
  14. object — to protest
  15. present — a gift
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bass — the fish
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bank — for money
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ground — a position

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