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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. branch — a division
  4. spell — letters
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. content — the amount
  12. spell — magic
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rock — music
  17. race — the arms race
  18. race — humankind
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. race — a contest
  22. content — happy
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. spell — a short time

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