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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: toast · patient · bore · bulb · fine · bank · rush · ground

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fine — all right
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bank — for money
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bank — for money
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bulb — for light
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ground — the earth
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. toast — bread
  18. ground — a position
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bore — to tire
  24. toast — the most admired

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