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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bank — for money
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. swing — to play on
  7. cell — a phone
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. can — a tin
  11. bank — of a river
  12. can — to be able to
  13. suit — to fit
  14. can — a tin
  15. bank — for money
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cell — in biology
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — a weight
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. swing — music
  24. pound — for dogs

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