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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. prune — to trim
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mine — for digging
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mark — a trace
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pitch — a sports field

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