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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 116 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. game — a match
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. ground — a position
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ground — the earth
  21. rash — hasty
  22. game — wild animals
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. ground — crushed

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