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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. can — a tin
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. can — a tin
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. saw — the tool
  19. perch — the fish
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. saw — the tool
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. straw — a straw man

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