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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 116 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: bear · land · bay · patient · sharp · spell · chair · suit

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bear — the animal
  7. land — a country
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spell — a short time
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. land — ground
  16. chair — a leader
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. land — to come down

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