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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pound — a weight
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mark — a trace
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. mark — a grade
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. rest — a break
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. racket — for tennis

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