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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. firm — a company
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. last — finally
  7. fine — all right
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. key — in music
  10. firm — decided
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. firm — steady
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bank — for money
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bank — for money
  18. last — to go on
  19. key — the most important part
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. last — final
  22. fine — high quality
  23. key — for a lock
  24. lash — to lash out

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