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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.

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: stand · face · bass · bark · patient · foot · bulb · bear

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bulb — for light
  10. foot — a measure
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bark — to shout
  20. face — to confront
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bulb — of a plant

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