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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. degree — temperature
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. deal — to handle
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — an amount
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. saw — the tool
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. prune — to trim
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pound — a weight
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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