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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bank — for money
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. date — the fruit
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. bear — the animal
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bank — of a river
  14. row — to paddle
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bank — for money
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. row — a line
  24. pop — to visit

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