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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — for money
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. scale — in music
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fork — in a road
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bear — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chip — to eat
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — 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