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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. charge — in control
  6. prune — to trim
  7. season — of the year
  8. kid — to tease
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. charge — electricity
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. lean — to bend
  13. branch — a division
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. lean — thin
  16. kid — child
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. charge — a price
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. season — in sport
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — out of danger

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