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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 116 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
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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: net · rest · spring · pass · bear · patient · spell · game

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. net — for catching
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. spell — magic
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pass — a permit
  10. spring — a coil
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a match
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spring — the season
  15. bear — the animal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. spell — letters
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. spring — of water

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