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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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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: lean · kid · rash · bore · patient · bowl · mate · bank

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. bank — for money
  5. lean — thin
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lean — to bend
  8. rash — a series
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bank — of a river
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. kid — to tease
  15. bank — for money
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mate — a partner
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mate — a friend
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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