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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: rash · rule · patient · bank · degree · chip

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rule — government
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. degree — from a university
  8. bank — of a river
  9. chip — to eat
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bank — for money
  12. chip — for betting
  13. rule — a law
  14. rash — hasty
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bank — for money

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