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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. branch — a division
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. fork — in a road
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. content — happy
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. content — the amount

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