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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. deal — to handle
  3. present — the time now
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. object — a thing
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ground — crushed
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. present — there
  10. pound — a weight
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. ground — the earth
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. ground — a position
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — to protest

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