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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bear — the animal
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. hand — help
  5. bear — the animal
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bank — for money
  9. row — a line
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bank — of a river
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. ball — a great time
  15. charge — electricity
  16. shower — to wash
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. shower — rain
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. charge — in control
  23. bank — for money
  24. charge — a price

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