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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. present — the time now
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. wake — a trail
  11. present — a gift
  12. fine — all right
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. present — there
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. date — the fruit
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fine — high quality
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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