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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 124 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. game — a match
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bank — for money
  8. prune — to trim
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rest — a break
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rest — what's left
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bank — for money
  21. game — wild animals
  22. foot — a measure
  23. patient — a sick person
  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