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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rule — a law
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. fine — all right
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. lean — thin
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rule — government
  12. mug — a face
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. lean — to bend
  17. date — the fruit
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. patient — a sick person

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