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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. present — the time now
  3. rule — a law
  4. land — a country
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. present — a gift
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rule — government
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. land — to come down
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bank — for money
  22. land — ground
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. present — there

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