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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 · race · patient · last · lie · rash · rest

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. last — finally
  3. race — a contest
  4. rash — a series
  5. rest — what's left
  6. race — humankind
  7. rash — hasty
  8. last — final
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rest — a break
  14. bank — for money
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bank — for money
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pit — in a race
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pit — a hole
  21. last — to go on
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. race — the arms race

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