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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.

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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.

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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: board · fine · bear · wound · lean · patient · bulb · key

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. lean — thin
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. board — a committee
  7. bear — the animal
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bear — the animal
  10. key — in music
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. wound — an injury
  16. board — to get on
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. key — the most important part
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. fine — all right
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. lean — to bend
  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