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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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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 · mouse · patient · can · rest · last · net · nail

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. net — after costs
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. last — to go on
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rest — a break
  9. last — finally
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. rest — what's left
  13. last — final
  14. net — for catching
  15. can — to be able to
  16. lean — thin
  17. rest — what's left
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. net — in sport
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. patient — a sick person

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