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

Word bank: arm · wake · kid · patient · bay · bank · squash · hand

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. kid — child
  4. kid — to tease
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bank — of a river
  9. hand — in cards
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bank — for money
  15. squash — to crush
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bank — for money
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. hand — help

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