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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: leaves · patient · sharp · trunk · spell · mug · deal · squash

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. squash — to crush
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. spell — a short time
  8. mug — to rob
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. mug — a cup
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mug — a face
  19. spell — letters
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. spell — magic
  22. deal — to handle
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. leaves — lets stay

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