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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. mate — a partner
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. track — to keep track
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. toast — bread
  8. firm — a company
  9. bank — for money
  10. firm — steady
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bank — of a river
  13. firm — decided
  14. mate — a friend
  15. rule — government
  16. bank — for money
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rule — a law
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. patient — a sick person
  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