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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — a cup
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stand — to bear
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mug — to rob
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fall — the season
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — a leader
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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