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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mug — a cup
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. roll — a list
  10. club — a group
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bank — of a river
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. club — for golf
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mug — a face
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. club — for dancing
  22. roll — a cake
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. nail — for a hammer

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