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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 116 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. lean — thin
  4. swing — in golf
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. swing — music
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. swing — to play on
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bark — to shout
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. lean — to bend
  17. stand — to bear
  18. perch — the fish
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. leaves — of a tree

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