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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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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: staff · patient · hand · racket · firm · bulb · pass · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. staff — employees
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. hand — help
  14. bulb — for light
  15. staff — employees
  16. firm — decided
  17. staff — a stick
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. firm — a company
  22. pass — a permit
  23. hand — in cards
  24. firm — steady

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