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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ball — a dance
  6. shower — to wash
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bank — for money
  9. pop — music
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bank — for money
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — rain
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bear — the animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. ball — a great time
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pop — soda
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. can — a tin
  24. stand — on your feet

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