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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.

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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: hide · patient · fork · dip · club · march · racket · bank

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. march — the month
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. march — music
  5. club — a group
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. fork — in a road
  11. club — for dancing
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bank — for money
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. march — the month
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. club — for golf
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. hide — to keep secret

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