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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. fine — all right
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. net — after costs
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lie — to recline
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. net — for catching
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. net — in sport
  24. fan — to cool the air

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