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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 120 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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. drill — a practice
  8. chip — for betting
  9. court — for sport
  10. suit — in cards
  11. spell — magic
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. drill — army training
  14. bass — the fish
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. court — of a king
  20. drill — the tool
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. court — of law
  23. bass — low music
  24. chip — in 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