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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bear — the animal
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. ground — the earth
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. rest — a break
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. ground — crushed
  16. toast — bread
  17. ground — a position
  18. saw — the tool
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bear — the animal
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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