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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: tube · lean · wound · patient · dip · wave · mine · firm

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. tube — a container
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. tube — the underground
  6. mine — for digging
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lean — thin
  9. firm — a company
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — to sink
  12. firm — steady
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. lean — to bend
  24. firm — decided

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