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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 120 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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bank — of a river
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. row — to paddle
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. fine — high quality
  9. staff — employees
  10. bank — for money
  11. row — a line
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. fine — all right
  17. bank — for money
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. rash — a series
  21. staff — employees
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rash — hasty

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