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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. hand — in cards
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wound — an injury
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. hand — help
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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