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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 120 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bank — of a river
  5. chest — of your body
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. firm — decided
  12. bank — for money
  13. chest — of your body
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — in sport
  16. mate — a partner
  17. firm — a company
  18. net — for catching
  19. rock — a stone
  20. firm — steady
  21. chest — a box
  22. bank — for money
  23. rock — music
  24. mate — a friend

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