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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: bank · saw · march · ground · key · stock · can · patient

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. march — the month
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. saw — the tool
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stock — goods
  7. ground — the earth
  8. march — the month
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ground — a position
  11. march — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. ground — crushed
  14. key — in music
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. stock — shares
  17. saw — the tool
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. bank — for money
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bank — for money
  24. key — for a lock

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