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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: lie · key · mark · bulb · shower · patient · bear · stand

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lie — to recline
  10. stand — to bear
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. shower — rain
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. key — the most important part
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bulb — for light
  19. shower — to wash
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. key — in music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mark — a trace

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