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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 · face · stand · arm · kick · patient · mug · mouse

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mug — a cup
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. kick — in football
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mug — to rob
  12. face — part of the head
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. stand — to bear
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mug — a face
  22. face — to point toward
  23. face — to confront
  24. mouse — the animal

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