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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. squash — the sport
  3. present — there
  4. prune — to trim
  5. present — the time now
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. squash — to crush
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. prune — to trim
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. present — a gift
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. deal — to handle
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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