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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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468
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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mate — a partner
  4. cue — for pool
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. vault — a safe
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cue — a signal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. mate — a friend
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mate — to breed
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. cue — a hint
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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