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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. rest — what's left
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. present — a gift
  8. rest — a break
  9. present — the time now
  10. rock — a stone
  11. present — there
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. tube — a container
  17. hand — help
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. rest — what's left
  20. hand — in cards
  21. tube — the underground
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. rock — music
  24. trunk — of a car

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