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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bulb — for light
  5. mine — for digging
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. branch — a division
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — for light
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bank — of a river
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bank — for money
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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