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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 120 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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. hand — in cards
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ball — a great time
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. ball — a dance
  13. board — to get on
  14. hand — help
  15. mark — a grade
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. board — a committee
  20. kick — in football
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. ball — a round shape

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