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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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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: temple · pass · mine · bank · mug · fork · pit · patient

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bank — for money
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bank — for money
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bank — of a river
  17. mine — for digging
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. fork — in a road
  20. mug — a face
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mug — a cup

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