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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.

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 · mug · degree · march · mouse · bat · key · bank

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bank — for money
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. mug — a cup
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mug — a face
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bat — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. degree — from a university
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. march — music

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