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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 116 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. suit — to fit
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. suit — clothes
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. pop — soda
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. plane — a tool
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — music
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. stock — goods
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. fork — in a road
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lean — thin
  19. suit — in cards
  20. stock — shares
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. trunk — of a tree

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