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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 120 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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. swing — music
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bank — of a river
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bank — for money
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. swing — in golf
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. prune — to trim
  17. swing — to play on
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fine — high quality
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fine — all right
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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