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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 116 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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468
Word bank
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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fine — high quality
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. chair — a leader
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fine — all right
  13. pound — a weight
  14. can — a tin
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. can — a tin
  20. mug — a cup
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mug — a face

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