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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — to tease
  3. rest — what's left
  4. suit — clothes
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rest — a break
  8. row — to paddle
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rule — government
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. row — a line
  14. rest — what's left
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rule — a law
  24. suit — to fit

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