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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lean — thin
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. row — to paddle
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bank — for money
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. capital — a city
  9. row — a line
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. race — a contest
  12. capital — money
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. race — the arms race
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bank — of a river
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bank — for money
  22. saw — the tool
  23. race — humankind
  24. lean — to bend

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