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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · fan · temple · patient · tube · calf · arm · wave

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. tube — a container
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bank — for money
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bank — for money
  24. tube — the underground

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