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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 116 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. wind — moving air
  3. pitch — completely
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. hand — in cards
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. kick — in football
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. wind — moving air
  21. hand — help
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bowl — a football final

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