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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · bank · nail · pit · last · stand · patient · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pit — in a race
  3. last — to go on
  4. last — final
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bank — for money
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. scale — size or range
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. last — finally
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. pit — a hole
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bank — of a river
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bank — for money
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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