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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. plane — a tool
  3. lean — thin
  4. present — a gift
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. charge — in control
  9. bound — certain
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bound — obliged
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. fork — in a road
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. charge — a price
  19. bound — tied together
  20. present — the time now
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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