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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. object — an aim
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. object — to protest
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. kick — in football
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. object — a thing
  24. bulb — for light

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