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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. shower — rain
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. saw — the tool
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. saw — the tool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. shower — to wash
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — with a leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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