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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. suit — in cards
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wound — an injury
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rest — a break
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. lie — to recline
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wound — an injury
  23. stem — to come from
  24. coach — a trainer

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