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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. march — the month
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. march — music
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. march — the month
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bark — to shout
  21. perch — the fish
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. stand — on your feet

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