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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. wound — an injury
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wound — an injury
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bark — to shout
  11. can — to be able to
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. lean — thin
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. toast — bread
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — to bend

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