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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: present · net · pound · suit · bear · patient

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. suit — clothes
  5. present — there
  6. suit — to fit
  7. present — the time now
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. net — after costs
  11. present — a gift
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — for catching
  18. bear — the animal

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