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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. march — the month
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. chip — for betting
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. march — music
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chip — to eat
  18. kick — in football
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. march — the month
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. kick — a thrill

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