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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rule — government
  3. suit — to fit
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. suit — clothes
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. game — a match
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. court — for sport
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. game — wild animals
  19. court — of law
  20. court — of a king
  21. rule — a law
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. suit — in cards

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