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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. game — wild animals
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bound — obliged
  5. staff — a stick
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. mug — a cup
  9. game — a match
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bound — certain
  13. mug — to rob
  14. rock — music
  15. mug — a face
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. staff — employees
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. bound — tied together
  22. staff — employees
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. lean — thin

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