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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · patient · roll · chest · leaves · rock · nail · bark

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. chest — of your body
  4. rock — a stone
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. chest — a box
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bark — to shout
  10. rock — music
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. roll — a list
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bear — to put up with

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