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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: mouse · patient · pound · file · wave · club · bulb · bank

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. club — a group
  3. file — a line of people
  4. file — a tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. file — a document
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bank — of a river
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bank — for money
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. club — for golf
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. club — for dancing

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