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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. roll — a cake
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. hand — in cards
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mug — a face
  15. stem — to come from
  16. suit — to fit
  17. hand — help
  18. roll — a list
  19. suit — in cards
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — to rob
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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