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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: lash · bank · board · suit · patient · nail · pass · bat

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bank — for money
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bat — the animal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pass — a permit
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bank — for money
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bank — of a river
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. suit — to fit
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. suit — clothes
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. bat — in an idiom

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