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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mark — a trace
  9. board — to get on
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. board — a committee
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. spring — the season
  17. mark — a grade
  18. spring — a coil
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. spring — of water
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bowl — to roll

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