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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: race · march · bank · prune · foot · patient · fine · bore

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bank — for money
  3. fine — high quality
  4. march — music
  5. fine — all right
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. march — the month
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. prune — to trim
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. race — humankind
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — of a river
  22. march — the month
  23. race — a contest
  24. fine — a penalty

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