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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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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a dance
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. chest — of your body
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. chest — a box
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. firm — decided
  12. bank — for money
  13. firm — a company
  14. shower — to wash
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. ball — a great time
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. chest — of your body
  21. firm — steady
  22. shower — rain
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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