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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rash — a series
  3. pit — in a race
  4. branch — a division
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rash — hasty
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. rush — hurry
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. kick — in football
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pit — a hole
  20. deal — to handle
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. deal — a big deal

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