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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.

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: net · swing · suit · mark · mine · bear · patient · bank

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. swing — to play on
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. net — for catching
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. net — after costs
  13. bank — for money
  14. mine — for digging
  15. swing — in golf
  16. net — in sport
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. swing — music

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