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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bank — for money
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. lean — thin
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. ground — the earth
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. wax — to grow
  16. ground — a position
  17. bore — to tire
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. ground — crushed
  23. lean — to bend
  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