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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: present · lie · patient · lean · fine · fan · ground · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fine — high quality
  5. ground — a position
  6. present — a gift
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ground — the earth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. present — there
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fine — all right
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lean — thin
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lie — to recline
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. lean — to bend
  23. present — the time now
  24. racket — for tennis

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