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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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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: hand · snap · bank · stem · key · bear · patient · ruler

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. bear — the animal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bank — for money
  12. key — for a lock
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — in cards
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bank — for money
  17. stem — to come from
  18. hand — help
  19. key — in music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. snap — to click
  22. bank — of a river
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. ruler — for measuring

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