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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. key — in music
  8. lean — to bend
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bank — of a river
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bank — for money
  16. season — of the year
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. season — in sport
  21. perch — the fish
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. bank — for money
  24. lean — to rest against

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