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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 124 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. key — in music
  3. last — to go on
  4. bear — the animal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. key — for a lock
  7. stock — shares
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. last — finally
  10. bear — the animal
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bank — of a river
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. key — the most important part
  15. stock — goods
  16. bank — for money
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. last — final
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. arm — part of the body

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