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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. rule — government
  6. key — for a lock
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. key — in music
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rule — a law
  11. mug — a face
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. key — the most important part
  14. wind — moving air
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mug — to rob
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mouse — for a computer

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