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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: toast · mine · bore · patient · cap · file · leaves · mate

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bore — to tire
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mate — a friend
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. file — a document
  8. cap — a lid
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. cap — a hat
  11. file — a line of people
  12. cap — of ice
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bore — to drill
  18. toast — bread
  19. mate — a partner
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. file — a tool
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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