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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. net — in sport
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. capital — a city
  8. net — for catching
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. capital — money
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lean — thin
  19. bank — of a river
  20. net — after costs
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. club — for dancing
  23. rush — hurry
  24. lean — to rest against

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