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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mate — to breed
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lean — to bend
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. lean — thin
  14. can — a tin
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mate — a friend
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. can — a tin
  19. spell — a short time
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mate — a partner
  24. stand — to bear

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