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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: bulb · mark · bore · patient · wake · fork · fan · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. fork — in a road
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. mark — a trace
  16. wake — a trail
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. ball — a dance
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bore — to drill
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — before a funeral

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