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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cap — a lid
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. face — to confront
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rush — hurry
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. face — part of the head
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. cap — of ice
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. face — to point toward
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to bend
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. dip — to sink

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