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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 120 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: bear · fork · calf · bulb · shower · tube · charge · patient

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — in control
  5. fork — in a road
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bulb — for light
  9. tube — the underground
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. shower — to wash
  13. tube — a container
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. charge — a price

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