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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 120 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: leaves · pound · can · straw · patient · fan · squash · rest

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. can — a tin
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rest — what's left
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. can — a tin
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. squash — the sport
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. squash — to crush
  13. pound — a weight
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rest — what's left
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rest — a break
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pound — for dogs

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