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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: rash · rock · dip · patient · mark · mug · capital · bank

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. capital — a city
  6. dip — to sink
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. capital — money
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mug — a face
  11. mark — a trace
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rock — music
  14. bank — for money
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bank — for money
  17. mug — to rob
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bank — of a river
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rash — a series

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