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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. patient — a sick person

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