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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.

Make a worksheet

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: can · last · mate · wound · lean · wave · hide · patient

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. lean — to bend
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mate — a partner
  12. last — final
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. last — to go on
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. last — finally
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lean — thin
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wound — an injury
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mate — to breed
  24. hide — animal skin

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