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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: pit · land · mouse · ground · patient · bank · temple · bowl

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. bank — for money
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ground — a position
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. land — to come down
  17. pit — in a race
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ground — the earth
  20. land — a country
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. pit — a hole

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