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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 116 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: squash · mug · ground · bank · rule · track · patient · bore

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. mug — a face
  2. track — a path
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rule — government
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rule — a law
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bank — for money
  12. mug — a cup
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bore — to drill
  18. track — a song
  19. squash — to crush
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. mug — to rob
  22. ground — a position
  23. patient — a sick person
  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