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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bear — the animal
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. saw — the tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. date — the fruit
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bear — the animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ruler — for measuring

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