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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 116 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: bank · bulb · calf · fall · patient · mate · scale · bear

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bulb — for light
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bear — the animal
  6. scale — in music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bear — the animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. scale — size or range
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bank — for money
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bank — of a river
  18. fall — the season
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bank — for money

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