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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. roll — a cake
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stock — goods
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. present — a gift
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. saw — the tool
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. can — a tin
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. roll — a list
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. present — there
  23. can — a tin
  24. present — the time now

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