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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 · trunk · patient · mark · mug · bass · cue · cabinet

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bank — of a river
  5. cue — a hint
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bank — for money
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. mug — a face
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bass — low music
  12. mug — to rob
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bank — for money
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bass — the fish
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mark — a grade

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