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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  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. dip — a sauce
  2. staff — a stick
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — in football
  5. cap — of ice
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. staff — employees
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. cap — a hat
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. staff — employees
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. last — finally
  15. dip — to sink
  16. club — for dancing
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. last — final
  19. last — to go on
  20. rule — government
  21. club — a group
  22. cap — a lid
  23. club — for golf
  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