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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 116 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: scale · bank · patient · shower · pass · spring · bay · saw

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bank — of a river
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bank — for money
  10. saw — the tool
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — rain
  13. scale — in music
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bank — for money
  21. shower — to wash
  22. saw — the tool
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. spring — the season

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