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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bear — the animal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. track — a song
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bank — for money
  9. drill — a practice
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. file — a document
  17. drill — army training
  18. bank — for money
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bank — of a river
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — a tool

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