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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 120 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: sharp · spell · ball · branch · ruler · bank · patient · stand

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. sharp — clever
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bank — for money
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stand — to bear
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bank — for money
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. branch — a division
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. spell — magic
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bank — of a river
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. spell — letters
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. ball — a great time
  24. spell — a short time

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