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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: patient · capital · mine · mark · rock · temple · bank · lie

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. capital — money
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mark — a grade
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. capital — a city
  14. bank — for money
  15. rock — a stone
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. rock — music
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. lie — to recline
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mine — for digging
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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