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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mark · patient · lash · fork · hand · net · leaves · bear

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. hand — in cards
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. net — in sport
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. mark — a grade
  14. net — for catching
  15. bear — the animal
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fork — in a road
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. hand — help
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. net — after costs

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