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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bank — for money
  3. game — wild animals
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. roll — a list
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to confront
  9. bank — for money
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. game — a match
  15. fall — the season
  16. roll — a cake
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fall — to drop
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bank — of a river
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. face — to point toward

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