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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. saw — the tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. saw — the tool
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. toast — bread
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. date — the fruit
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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