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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bank — for money
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. stem — to come from
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mine — for digging
  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