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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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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: patient · fork · jam · bear · pound · craft · roll · board

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. board — to get on
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. board — a committee
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pound — a weight
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bear — the animal
  24. roll — a list

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