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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. fine — high quality
  6. firm — steady
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. firm — a company
  9. bank — for money
  10. firm — decided
  11. spring — a coil
  12. fine — all right
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bank — for money
  16. pass — a permit
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. season — in sport
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. season — of the year
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. spring — of water

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