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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: rest · leaves · root · nail · patient · band · bank · pass

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bank — for money
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bank — for money
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. band — a ring
  9. rest — a break
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. band — a music group
  14. rest — what's left
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bank — of a river
  17. root — of a word
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. root — the cause
  21. pass — a permit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. root — of a plant

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