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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ground — a position
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. content — happy
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bank — of a river
  14. mate — a friend
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mate — a partner
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bank — for money
  22. content — the amount
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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