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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. date — the fruit
  6. bank — for money
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. object — an aim
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. suit — to fit
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. object — to protest
  16. bank — for money
  17. bear — the animal
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. object — a thing
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. suit — clothes
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bank — of a river

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