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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: track · bear · clip · mug · patient · leaves · saw · cabinet

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mug — to rob
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mug — a face
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. clip — to cut
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. track — a path
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. clip — for paper
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. clip — a video
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. track — a song
  22. mug — a cup
  23. track — to keep track
  24. leaves — to go away

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