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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 120 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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Word bank
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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. game — a match
  4. swing — to play on
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — hasty
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. swing — music
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. swing — in golf
  19. game — wild animals
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. safe — out of danger

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