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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: mouse · fork · drill · tube · bank · patient · face · last

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. last — final
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. drill — army training
  7. face — to point toward
  8. drill — a practice
  9. tube — a container
  10. last — to go on
  11. face — to confront
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. tube — the underground
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. face — part of the head
  19. last — finally
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  24. drill — the tool

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