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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
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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: foot · can · patient · cabinet · wind · tube · mouse · chair

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. wind — moving air
  5. chair — a leader
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tube — a container
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. tube — the underground
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. foot — a measure
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. wind — moving air
  22. can — a tin
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. can — a tin

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