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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.

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: patient · bank · net · pitcher · racket · ruler · stand · season

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. net — for catching
  3. bank — for money
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. net — in sport
  10. season — in sport
  11. bank — for money
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. stand — to bear
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. season — of the year
  21. net — after costs
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ruler — for measuring

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