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

Word bank: bank · rule · wake · patient · calf · staff

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bank — of a river
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bank — for money
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. staff — employees
  9. rule — government
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wake — a trail
  15. rule — a law
  16. staff — employees
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. staff — a stick

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