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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. mine — for digging
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. can — to be able to
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. can — a tin
  8. drill — the tool
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. lean — thin
  11. can — a tin
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. lean — to bend
  15. drill — army training
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. stock — goods
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. stock — shares

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