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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: sharp · rash · bank · pit · mate · patient · toast · cabinet

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bank — of a river
  5. rash — a series
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. pit — a hole
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. toast — bread
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rash — hasty
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mate — to breed
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pit — in a race
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. 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