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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. rule — a law
  4. ground — the earth
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. club — for golf
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bank — for money
  11. rule — government
  12. ground — crushed
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. ground — a position
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. club — a group
  24. bank — for money

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