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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.

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 · pass · patient · present · bank · cabinet · ball · deal

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ball — a dance
  8. mine — for digging
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bank — for money
  16. present — the time now
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bank — of a river
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bank — for money
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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