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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wind — moving air
  6. can — to be able to
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bank — for money
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. can — a tin
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bank — for money
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wake — a trail
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. can — a tin
  23. chip — to eat
  24. rest — a break

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