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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: firm · pop · chair · patient · squash · bay · trunk · shower

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. firm — a company
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pop — to visit
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. shower — rain
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. pop — music
  11. squash — to crush
  12. firm — decided
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. pop — soda
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. firm — steady
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. shower — to wash
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bay — a horse colour

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