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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tube · leaves · row · mouse · ground · arm · bear · patient

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ground — crushed
  6. tube — a container
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — the earth
  12. row — a line
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. tube — the underground
  15. row — to paddle
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. tube — in a tire

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