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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: spell · rash · bank · saw · patient · bound · shower · present

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bank — for money
  3. bound — obliged
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. shower — rain
  6. rash — a series
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. present — the time now
  15. spell — letters
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bank — for money
  19. bound — tied together
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. shower — to wash
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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