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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: patient · trunk · game · mouse · lean · mark · hide · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. lean — thin
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. game — a match
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lean — to bend
  15. squash — the sport
  16. mark — a grade
  17. game — wild animals
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. trunk — of a car

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