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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. degree — an amount
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cue — a hint
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. charge — in control
  10. degree — from a university
  11. march — the month
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. degree — temperature
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. cue — for pool
  17. charge — a price
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bank — for money
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bank — for money
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. charge — electricity

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