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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. file — a document
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. kick — in football
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. pop — music
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — to visit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. file — a tool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. file — a line of people
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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