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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. suit — clothes
  4. shower — rain
  5. bank — for money
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cue — a signal
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. suit — to fit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. suit — in cards
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. kid — child
  16. tear — from crying
  17. kid — to tease
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. bank — for money
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. shower — to wash
  24. patient — a sick person

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