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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 120 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. lean — to bend
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mark — a trace
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — ground
  14. fine — all right
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bore — to drill
  18. staff — a stick
  19. land — a country
  20. staff — employees
  21. bore — to tire
  22. lean — thin
  23. mark — a grade
  24. staff — employees

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