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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. lean — thin
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. squash — the sport
  5. stand — to bear
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. tube — the underground
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. tube — a container
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. patient — a sick person
  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