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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — government
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lean — to bend
  14. plane — a tool
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. lean — thin
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. rule — a law
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. arm — a part of something

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