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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: temple · patient · rock · stock · roll · deal · bank · hide

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. roll — a list
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bank — for money
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stock — shares
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bank — for money
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rock — a stone
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. stock — goods
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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