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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: leaves · firm · race · bank · mine · hand · kick · patient

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bank — of a river
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. firm — steady
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. race — humankind
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. race — a contest
  10. firm — a company
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. race — the arms race
  15. kick — in football
  16. firm — decided
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bank — for money
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bank — for money
  23. hand — help
  24. leaves — to go away

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