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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. pit — in a race
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rush — hurry
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. firm — steady
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. firm — a company
  9. pit — a hole
  10. craft — a skill
  11. face — part of the head
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. face — to confront
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. firm — decided
  19. craft — boats
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. hide — animal skin

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