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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 116 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.

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: bank · band · scale · staff · rule · pass · land · patient

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. rule — government
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. band — a music group
  7. staff — employees
  8. land — a country
  9. scale — in music
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. scale — size or range
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. land — to come down
  16. bank — for money
  17. band — a ring
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. land — ground
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. patient — a sick person

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