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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: ball · wake · bay · stand · mate · squash · bank · patient

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bank — for money
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bank — for money
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bank — of a river
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mate — a partner
  17. stand — to bear
  18. squash — the sport
  19. ball — a dance
  20. squash — to crush
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. ball — a round shape

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