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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. root — the cause
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mug — a face
  10. root — of a word
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. root — of a plant
  13. shower — to wash
  14. stand — to bear
  15. clip — to cut
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. clip — for paper
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a cup
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. shower — rain
  24. clip — a video

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