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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mate — a friend
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mate — to breed
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bank — for money
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mate — a partner
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. lean — thin
  13. ball — a great time
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. degree — from a university
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. degree — temperature
  19. chest — of your body
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. chest — a box
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bank — for money

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