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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: patient · capital · bank · rest · wound · can · season · cabinet

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. capital — a city
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. season — of the year
  5. bank — of a river
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wound — an injury
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rest — a break
  15. can — a tin
  16. capital — money
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. season — in sport
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. can — a tin
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wound — an injury
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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