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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rash — a series
  4. row — a line
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wax — to grow
  10. toast — bread
  11. band — a ring
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. track — a path
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a song
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. band — a music group

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