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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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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bat — the animal
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. ground — a position
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ground — crushed
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. rule — government
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ground — the earth
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. calf — a young animal

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