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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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bear — the animal
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mine — for digging
  7. track — a song
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rock — music
  10. mug — a cup
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. track — a path
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. track — to keep track
  17. mug — a face
  18. can — a tin
  19. bear — the animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rock — a stone
  22. can — a tin
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. nail — for a hammer

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