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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. rest — what's left
  5. roll — a cake
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bound — certain
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bound — obliged
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. board — a committee
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rest — a break
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bound — tied together
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. board — to get on
  23. rest — what's left
  24. nail — for a hammer

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