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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.

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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to click
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bank — for money
  18. kick — in football
  19. bank — for money
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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