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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. object — to protest
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. ball — a dance
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bank — of a river
  12. race — humankind
  13. bank — for money
  14. race — a contest
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. ball — a great time
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bank — for money
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fork — in a road
  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