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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: jam · rush · perch · patient · march · temple · capital · bank

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bank — of a river
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. march — the month
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bank — for money
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. perch — the fish
  14. march — music
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. rush — hurry
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. capital — money
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. capital — a city
  24. bank — for money

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