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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. saw — the tool
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bank — of a river
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. spring — a coil
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. spring — the season
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. kick — in football
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. spring — of water

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