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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. game — wild animals
  4. firm — steady
  5. shower — rain
  6. fine — high quality
  7. chair — a leader
  8. object — to protest
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bank — for money
  12. object — an aim
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bank — for money
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. game — a match
  19. bank — of a river
  20. object — a thing
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. firm — a company
  23. fine — all right
  24. firm — decided

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