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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rest — a break
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pit — in a race
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — a trail
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. lean — thin
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lean — to bend

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