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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. file — a line of people
  6. firm — steady
  7. season — of the year
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. can — a tin
  12. bank — for money
  13. file — a document
  14. file — a tool
  15. spell — magic
  16. firm — decided
  17. spell — a short time
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bank — of a river
  20. firm — a company
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. bank — for money
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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