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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. race — a contest
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. court — of a king
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bank — for money
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. race — humankind
  15. bank — for money
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. court — of law
  20. mine — for digging
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rule — a law
  23. court — for sport
  24. race — the arms race

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