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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. mate — a partner
  5. spring — the season
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. lean — thin
  8. lean — to bend
  9. spring — a coil
  10. dip — to sink
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. spring — of water
  13. mate — a friend
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mate — to breed
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. deal — to handle
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. lean — to rest against

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