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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. lean — thin
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. lean — to bend
  6. prune — to trim
  7. present — there
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pound — a weight
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stock — goods
  17. present — the time now
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. present — a gift
  21. stock — shares
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pound — for dogs

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