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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bank — for money
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. firm — a company
  5. shower — rain
  6. row — to paddle
  7. game — a match
  8. game — wild animals
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. firm — decided
  12. row — a line
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. firm — steady
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bank — for money
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bank — of a river
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. shower — to wash

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