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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ball — a dance
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. last — final
  8. last — finally
  9. bank — of a river
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bass — low music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — music
  14. last — to go on
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rock — a stone
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bass — the fish
  24. hand — in cards

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