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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.

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: rush · mate · bank · patient · row · root · drill · suit

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. root — of a word
  3. mate — a partner
  4. suit — in cards
  5. root — the cause
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bank — for money
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mate — a friend
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. mate — to breed
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a line
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. drill — the tool
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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