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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: spell · pound · rule · bulb · lie · patient · bank · deal

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. spell — magic
  5. pound — a weight
  6. spell — letters
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. deal — to handle
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rule — government
  17. bulb — for light
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bank — for money
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. rule — a law

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