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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. roll — a cake
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bank — for money
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mine — for digging
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. roll — a list
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stock — shares
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. stock — goods
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. fine — all right
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fine — high quality

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