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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 116 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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468
Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. ball — a dance
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. prune — to trim
  6. season — in sport
  7. bank — for money
  8. spring — the season
  9. bank — of a river
  10. present — a gift
  11. spring — of water
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bank — for money
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. season — of the year
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ball — a great time
  24. charge — in control

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