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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: bay · toast · fine · patient · bank · court · capital · ground

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. capital — a city
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. ground — a position
  14. capital — money
  15. court — of law
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bank — for money
  18. toast — bread
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bank — for money
  21. fine — high quality
  22. court — for sport
  23. ground — the earth
  24. court — of a king

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