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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: saw · rock · mine · patient · bank · mark · wake · chip

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chip — to eat
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — a trail
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mine — for digging
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rock — music
  22. chip — for betting
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chip — in a computer

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