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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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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 · bank · plane · fine · racket · stick · rest · cabinet

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bank — for money
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — a break
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fine — all right
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rest — what's left

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