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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 · patient · ruler · craft · capital · date

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. date — the fruit
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. capital — a city
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. bank — for money
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bank — for money
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. craft — a skill
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bank — of a river
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person

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