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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. tear — to rip
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. track — a path
  6. perch — the fish
  7. tear — from crying
  8. track — a song
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. suit — clothes
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. suit — in cards
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. game — a match
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. suit — to fit
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. tear — from crying
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. track — to keep track
  24. stand — on your feet

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