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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 116 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fine — all right
  19. object — an aim
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — to protest
  23. mug — a face
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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