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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: plane · rush · mouse · patient · mine · cabinet · bank · wave

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bank — for money
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bank — of a river
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bank — for money
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. plane — a tool

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