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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. bank — for money
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rest — a break
  10. season — in sport
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stand — to bear
  14. rest — what's left
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bank — for money
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. season — of the year
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ball — a dance

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