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

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. 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. mine — for digging
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. file — a line of people
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. file — a tool
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. kick — in football
  9. file — a document
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. stand — to bear
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. toast — bread
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — rain
  24. 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