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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 120 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: ball · patient · bank · lash · tear · march · bay · suit

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — to rip
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. ball — a great time
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bank — for money
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bank — for money
  13. march — the month
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. march — music
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. suit — clothes
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. march — the month
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ball — a dance
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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