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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 124 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. club — a group
  4. club — for golf
  5. rash — hasty
  6. can — a tin
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rash — a series
  9. spring — a coil
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. can — to be able to
  17. prune — to trim
  18. spring — of water
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mug — a cup
  21. spring — the season
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. can — a tin
  24. mug — a face

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