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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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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: pit · bank · lie · track · patient · toast · rest · racket

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. pit — a hole
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. lie — to recline
  14. track — a path
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bank — for money
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bank — for money
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bank — of a river

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