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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 120 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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. rock — a stone
  4. last — finally
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wind — moving air
  10. last — to go on
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. snap — to click
  13. bank — for money
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bank — for money
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. last — final
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bank — of a river
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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