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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. spring — the season
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. pit — in a race
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. wind — moving air
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mark — a trace
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pit — a hole
  22. lean — to bend
  23. spring — of water
  24. spring — a coil

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