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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bank — for money
  3. drill — the tool
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bank — for money
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. drill — a practice
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pitch — completely
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. drill — army training
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. nail — for a hammer

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