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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 120 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bank — of a river
  4. race — a contest
  5. march — music
  6. charge — a price
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. march — the month
  9. bank — for money
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bank — for money
  14. charge — in control
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. race — the arms race
  17. cold — an illness
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cold — not warm
  20. race — humankind
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. march — the month
  23. charge — electricity
  24. racket — a loud noise

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