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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. mate — to breed
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. rest — a break
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. suit — to fit
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. wake — a trail
  22. mate — a partner
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fork — in a road

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