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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: spell · net · patient · bear · bay · board · file · march

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bear — the animal
  3. march — the month
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. net — for catching
  7. file — a document
  8. board — a committee
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. file — a tool
  11. march — music
  12. board — to get on
  13. spell — magic
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. march — the month
  16. net — in sport
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. spell — letters
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bear — the animal
  23. net — after costs
  24. file — a line of people

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