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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: bank · sharp · stand · ruler · bound · bowl · race · patient

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. stand — to bear
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bound — obliged
  10. race — humankind
  11. bank — for money
  12. race — a contest
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bound — certain
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bank — for money
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. ruler — a monarch

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