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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.

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: fork · patient · row · lean · pitcher · jam · date · bank

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fork — in a road
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lean — thin
  10. row — to paddle
  11. bank — for money
  12. row — a line
  13. lean — to bend
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bank — of a river
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bank — for money

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