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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. wind — moving air
  3. march — the month
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bank — for money
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bank — of a river
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. fork — in a road
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rest — a break
  12. march — music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. spell — letters
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bank — for money
  24. rest — what's left

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