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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: saw · march · row · chip · press · calf · patient · bank

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bank — of a river
  6. chip — to eat
  7. row — to paddle
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bank — for money
  10. press — a publisher
  11. row — a line
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. press — to push
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bank — for money
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. press — newspapers
  21. saw — the tool
  22. chip — for betting
  23. march — the month
  24. patient — a sick person

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