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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: drill · spring · bank · current · patient · deal · jam · tear

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. current — electric
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bank — of a river
  5. spring — a coil
  6. drill — a practice
  7. spring — the season
  8. tear — to rip
  9. drill — army training
  10. current — of water
  11. drill — the tool
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. current — happening now
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. deal — to handle
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. spring — of water
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. tear — from crying

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