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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: rock · dip · patient · bank · race · saw · spring · jam

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. race — the arms race
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — to sink
  8. race — humankind
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — the season
  13. saw — the tool
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bank — for money
  16. rock — music
  17. race — a contest
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bank — for money
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. spring — of water
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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