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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. spell — magic
  9. bulb — for light
  10. spell — a short time
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. net — in sport
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. game — a match
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bank — for money
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. foot — a measure
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. game — wild animals
  23. spell — letters
  24. foot — the bottom

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