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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. wind — moving air
  7. staff — a stick
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fall — to drop
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. pound — a weight
  13. staff — employees
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. fall — the season
  18. stand — to bear
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. staff — employees
  21. fall — to drop
  22. kid — to tease
  23. wind — moving air
  24. kid — child

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