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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bank — for money
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bank — of a river
  7. game — wild animals
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. band — a music group
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pop — music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pop — soda
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mark — a trace
  19. game — a match
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. band — a ring
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bank — for money
  24. patient — a sick person

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