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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: hand · scale · suit · clip · rock · bank · mate · patient

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. clip — a video
  4. hand — help
  5. rock — music
  6. mate — to breed
  7. clip — to cut
  8. mate — a partner
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bank — for money
  15. mate — a friend
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. hand — in cards
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bank — of a river
  22. suit — clothes
  23. clip — for paper
  24. rock — to move gently

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