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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: rock · firm · patient · suit · bank · craft · perch · mine

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rock — music
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. craft — boats
  7. bank — of a river
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bank — for money
  11. firm — a company
  12. mine — for digging
  13. perch — the fish
  14. suit — to fit
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. bank — for money
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. rock — a stone
  24. suit — in cards

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