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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bank — for money
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. mark — a trace
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pit — a hole
  14. content — happy
  15. chair — a leader
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bank — for money
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. content — the amount
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. fork — in a road

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