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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: spell · fork · trunk · stand · patient · arm · bulb · sharp

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — a short time
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bulb — for light
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fork — in a road
  20. sharp — clever
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. spell — letters
  24. sharp — with an edge

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