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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: drill · rest · rash · perch · deal · patient · bank · mate

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mate — a partner
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rash — a series
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. drill — army training
  12. bank — for money
  13. rest — what's left
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. perch — the fish
  17. rest — a break
  18. mate — a friend
  19. rash — hasty
  20. mate — to breed
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. drill — the tool

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