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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. season — in sport
  4. charge — electricity
  5. object — a thing
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. wax — to grow
  8. club — for dancing
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. charge — a price
  11. fall — to drop
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. fall — to drop
  15. object — to protest
  16. lean — thin
  17. charge — in control
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. club — for golf
  20. fall — the season
  21. season — of the year
  22. club — a group
  23. object — an aim
  24. season — to add flavour

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