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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. present — there
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. lean — thin
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. charge — in control
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. pit — in a race
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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