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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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. craft — boats
  4. band — a ring
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pit — in a race
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. band — a music group
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. season — in sport
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. season — of the year
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. patient — a sick person

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