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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a music group
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. can — a tin
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. suit — in cards
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — to wash
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. shower — rain
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. ball — a great time
  20. suit — to fit
  21. ball — a dance
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ball — a round shape

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