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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mine — for digging
  6. saw — the tool
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. lie — to recline
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. tube — a container
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fork — in a road
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fine — all right
  24. saw — the tool

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