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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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. pop — soda
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — moving air
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fine — all right
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pop — music
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pop — to visit
  24. fine — high quality

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