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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. mug — a face
  6. lean — to bend
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pop — music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mug — a cup
  14. lean — thin
  15. key — in music
  16. pop — to visit
  17. can — a tin
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pop — soda
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. can — a tin
  22. mug — to rob
  23. key — for a lock
  24. key — the most important part

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