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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.

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 very handy with a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. present — a gift
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. rest — what's left
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. pass — a permit
  7. saw — the tool
  8. present — there
  9. dip — to sink
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. present — the time now
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rest — a break
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — to play on
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. kick — in football
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. swing — music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. rest — what's left
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. patient — a sick person

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