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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · lean · fork · patient · wake · bear · spell · season

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bear — the animal
  3. fork — in a road
  4. lean — to bend
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wake — a trail
  9. spell — letters
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. lean — thin
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. season — in sport
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

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