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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rest — what's left
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. swing — music
  10. lean — to bend
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. present — the time now
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. present — there
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lean — thin
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. swing — in golf
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rest — a break

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