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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. rest — what's left
  3. can — a tin
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rest — a break
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. prune — to trim
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wind — moving air
  11. can — a tin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. spell — a short time
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cue — for pool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cue — a signal

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