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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. degree — from a university
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. degree — temperature
  8. wax — to grow
  9. ground — a position
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bear — the animal
  14. degree — an amount
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bear — the animal
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. ground — crushed
  24. lean — thin

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