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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.

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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: patient · craft · bank · board · fork · date · lean · pit

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pit — in a race
  3. craft — boats
  4. pit — a hole
  5. date — the fruit
  6. board — a committee
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lean — to bend
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bank — for money
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. board — to get on
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bank — for money
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lean — thin
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. lean — to rest against

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