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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. firm — decided
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. firm — a company
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. march — music
  10. object — an aim
  11. firm — steady
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. object — to protest
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. object — a thing
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — soda
  21. land — to come down
  22. chair — a leader
  23. pop — to visit
  24. leaves — to go away

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