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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: spell · bear · tube · bay · deal · mark · patient · present

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. spell — letters
  4. tube — the underground
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. deal — to handle
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. present — a gift
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. present — there
  15. spell — a short time
  16. mark — a trace
  17. tube — a container
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bear — the animal
  22. present — the time now
  23. spell — magic
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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