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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rash — a series
  3. bank — for money
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. can — a tin
  7. march — the month
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rest — what's left
  10. game — wild animals
  11. rash — hasty
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bank — for money
  14. rest — a break
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. game — a match
  17. march — the month
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. march — music
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. calf — a young animal

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