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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. swing — in golf
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ball — a dance
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stem — to come from
  8. fine — high quality
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. swing — music
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. fine — all right
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. swing — to play on
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. ball — a great time
  24. fine — a penalty

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