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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. object — to protest
  3. rest — what's left
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. object — a thing
  7. rest — a break
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rest — what's left
  12. present — a gift
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. content — happy
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. object — an aim
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. present — there
  21. content — the amount
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. patient — a sick person

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