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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lean — to bend
  4. march — the month
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. dip — to sink
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cue — a signal
  10. lean — thin
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. march — music
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. cue — a hint
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cue — for pool
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. march — the month
  24. leaves — of a tree

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