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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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. present — there
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bank — for money
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. present — the time now
  9. tear — from crying
  10. ball — a great time
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. tear — from crying
  13. present — a gift
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. track — a song
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. tear — to rip
  19. roll — a cake
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ball — a dance
  22. roll — a list
  23. bank — of a river
  24. track — a path

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