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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: rock · coach · bank · object · patient · arm · net · stick

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. object — an aim
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. net — after costs
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. net — in sport
  16. rock — music
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bank — for money
  19. rock — a stone
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. net — for catching

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