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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 120 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: spell · wake · capital · bank · key · patient · wound · squash

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bank — of a river
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. key — in music
  8. spell — a short time
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. wound — an injury
  12. key — the most important part
  13. capital — a city
  14. bank — for money
  15. spell — magic
  16. capital — money
  17. bank — for money
  18. wake — a trail
  19. spell — letters
  20. key — for a lock
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. squash — the sport

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