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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pop — to visit
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pop — soda
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bank — for money
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pop — music
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. tear — from crying
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. toast — bread
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bank — for money
  24. ruler — a monarch

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