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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: patient · ruler · spring · content · pitcher · charge · bank · pit

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bank — of a river
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pit — a hole
  6. spring — a coil
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bank — for money
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — the amount
  11. pit — in a race
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. spring — the season
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. content — happy
  21. spring — of water
  22. charge — a price
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ruler — a monarch

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