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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.

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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: bear · stick · patient · content · object · bank · mug · root

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bear — the animal
  3. content — the amount
  4. mug — a cup
  5. content — happy
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mug — a face
  10. bank — for money
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a word
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mug — to rob
  18. root — of a plant
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. bank — of a river
  23. object — an aim
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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