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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lean — to bend
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. lean — thin
  6. bear — the animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. swing — in golf
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. swing — to play on
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. suit — in cards
  17. swing — music
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — to fit
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. saw — the tool

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