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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. pit — a hole
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pit — in a race
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. kick — in football
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. swing — in golf
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. swing — music
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. swing — to play on
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. patient — calm and waiting

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