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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 116 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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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: lean · hide · game · last · firm · racket · patient · staff

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  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. lean — thin
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — a match
  5. firm — steady
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. game — wild animals
  8. staff — a stick
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. firm — decided
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. staff — employees
  16. last — final
  17. last — finally
  18. lean — to bend
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. firm — a company
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. staff — employees
  23. last — to go on
  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