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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. squash — to crush
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — the sport
  8. fine — all right
  9. pop — soda
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pop — music
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. saw — the tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bank — for money
  23. pop — to visit
  24. saw — the tool

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