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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 · bank · court · patient · lie · tube · mate · drill

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. drill — the tool
  3. lie — to recline
  4. court — of law
  5. drill — army training
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bank — of a river
  9. saw — the tool
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bank — for money
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. tube — the underground
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. tube — a container
  18. bank — for money
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. saw — the tool
  23. court — for sport
  24. mate — a partner

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