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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. bank — of a river
  3. scale — in music
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bank — for money
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bank — for money
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bore — to drill
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. scale — size or range
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. toast — bread
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rush — hurry

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