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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 120 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. chest — a box
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cap — a hat
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cap — a lid
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cap — of ice
  22. rash — a series
  23. chest — of your body
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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