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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. degree — temperature
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. degree — an amount
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. fall — the season
  9. lean — thin
  10. pit — a hole
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fall — to drop
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. degree — from a university
  24. mouse — the animal

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