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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. land — to come down
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. land — a country
  5. swing — in golf
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — after costs
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. firm — a company
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. net — in sport
  13. swing — to play on
  14. firm — steady
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. shower — to wash
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. swing — music
  22. firm — decided
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. land — ground

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