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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bank — for money
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. swing — to play on
  6. suit — to fit
  7. swing — in golf
  8. degree — from a university
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. degree — temperature
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. prune — to trim
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — happy
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. degree — an amount
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bank — for money
  20. suit — clothes
  21. swing — music
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bank — of a river

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