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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.

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: patient · mouse · squash · fork · bank · sharp · rock · bulb

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. fork — in a road
  12. rock — a stone
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bank — for money
  16. squash — to crush
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bank — for money
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bulb — for light

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