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

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. mug — to rob
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. saw — the tool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — a position
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — there
  14. mug — a cup
  15. season — in sport
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. mug — a face
  20. ground — the earth
  21. stem — to come from
  22. saw — the tool
  23. season — of the year
  24. fan — a supporter

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