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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 116 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: suit · drill · patient · capital · bank · cold · bay · track

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cold — not warm
  3. capital — a city
  4. track — a path
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bank — for money
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bank — for money
  17. track — to keep track
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. cold — an illness
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bank — of a river
  23. track — a song
  24. capital — money

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