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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. staff — a stick
  3. mate — a friend
  4. staff — employees
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mate — to breed
  7. lean — thin
  8. staff — employees
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. can — a tin
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. can — to be able to
  18. lean — to bend
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — to crush
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mate — a partner
  23. can — a tin
  24. ruler — for measuring

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