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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: squash · bank · dip · object · land · march · patient · shower

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  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. land — a country
  3. object — to protest
  4. march — the month
  5. shower — rain
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. object — an aim
  8. squash — to crush
  9. land — ground
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bank — for money
  12. march — the month
  13. shower — to wash
  14. march — music
  15. bank — of a river
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. object — a thing
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bank — for money
  22. dip — to sink
  23. land — to come down
  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