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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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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: racket · patient · capital · bank · rock · bore · fork · bass

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. capital — a city
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bass — low music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. fork — in a road
  7. rock — music
  8. bank — of a river
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bore — to drill
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bank — for money
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. bore — to tire
  19. capital — money
  20. rock — a stone
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bank — for money
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bass — the instrument

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