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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: dip · bank · patient · calf · lie · fork · staff · pop

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bank — for money
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pop — music
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pop — soda
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pop — to visit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. dip — to sink
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bank — for money
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. calf — a young 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