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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: fine · bark · lie · foot · cold · spell · jam · patient

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. cold — not warm
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fine — all right
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. spell — letters
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. cold — an illness
  24. foot — a measure

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