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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: shower · firm · board · date · rush · spell · patient · pound

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. spell — a short time
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. firm — a company
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. spell — letters
  11. pound — a weight
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. rush — hurry
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. date — the fruit
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. board — a committee
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. spell — magic
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — to get on

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