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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. clip — a video
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. clip — to cut
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. staff — employees
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pop — to visit
  14. clip — for paper
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. pop — soda
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pop — music
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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