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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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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wound — an injury
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. root — of a plant
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lean — thin
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wound — an injury
  12. root — of a word
  13. march — music
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. march — the month
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. root — the cause
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. march — the month
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. charge — in control
  24. pass — to succeed

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