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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bound — certain
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bank — of a river
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. bear — the animal
  9. craft — a skill
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bear — the animal
  13. land — ground
  14. bank — for money
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bank — for money
  19. bound — tied together
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — a country
  24. bear — to put up with

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