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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.

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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: present · deal · row · leaves · season · bank · patient · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  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. race — a contest
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bank — for money
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. season — of the year
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. race — the arms race
  10. present — a gift
  11. bank — of a river
  12. present — the time now
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bank — for money
  16. present — there
  17. season — in sport
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. row — a line
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. race — humankind
  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