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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mug — a face
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. staff — employees
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. staff — employees
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. season — in sport
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. staff — a stick
  19. season — of the year
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pitcher — a jug

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