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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: bank · net · safe · march · perch · racket · patient · drill

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  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. net — in sport
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — the tool
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. perch — the fish
  9. march — the month
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bank — for money
  12. net — after costs
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bank — of a river
  20. drill — a practice
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. march — music
  23. net — for catching
  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