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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.

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: bear · spell · jam · mouse · date · band · racket · patient

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. spell — magic
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — the fruit
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a music group
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bear — the animal
  20. spell — letters
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. spell — a short time

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