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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: straw · wind · patient · bore · race · hide · can · suit

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. suit — in cards
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. race — humankind
  9. wind — moving air
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. can — a tin
  12. bore — to drill
  13. race — the arms race
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bore — to tire
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. can — a tin
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. race — a contest
  22. wind — moving air
  23. can — to be able to
  24. hide — to keep secret

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