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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fork — in a road
  4. pitch — completely
  5. spring — the season
  6. spring — of water
  7. fall — the season
  8. suit — to fit
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. squash — the sport
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. fall — to drop
  18. suit — in cards
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. spring — a coil
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. squash — to crush

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