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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 transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pound — a weight
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. spell — magic
  5. kick — in football
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. roll — a cake
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. spell — a short time
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. roll — a list
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. spell — letters
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. fan — to cool the air

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