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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bank — of a river
  3. key — in music
  4. prune — to trim
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — for a lock
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bank — for money
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chair — a leader
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rest — a break
  19. bank — for money
  20. key — the most important part
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bass — low music
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bass — the fish

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