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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 120 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. club — a group
  5. stem — to come from
  6. season — in sport
  7. season — of the year
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lean — to bend
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — for golf
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lean — thin
  24. patient — a sick person

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