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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bank — of a river
  3. hand — in cards
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. drill — army training
  6. content — the amount
  7. bank — for money
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. content — happy
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pit — a hole
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. hand — help
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. drill — a practice
  24. cabinet — ministers

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