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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 ball is in your ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bank — of a river
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. bass — the fish
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bank — for money
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. spell — magic
  14. court — of law
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bass — low music
  19. court — of a king
  20. spell — letters
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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