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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 124 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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bank — for money
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. season — of the year
  5. club — a group
  6. pop — to visit
  7. season — in sport
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rule — a law
  14. bank — of a river
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pop — music
  17. chest — a box
  18. club — for golf
  19. rule — government
  20. bank — for money
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pop — soda

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