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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: lean · season · row · scale · object · patient · straw · plane

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. row — a line
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. season — of the year
  9. object — to protest
  10. row — to paddle
  11. scale — in music
  12. object — a thing
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. scale — size or range
  19. lean — thin
  20. season — in sport
  21. object — an aim
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. lean — to bend
  24. plane — a tool

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