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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. present — a gift
  5. bank — of a river
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. present — the time now
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. kick — in football
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. present — there
  16. march — the month
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bank — for money
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bank — for money
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. march — music
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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