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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. kick — in football
  5. toast — bread
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. land — a country
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. lean — thin
  18. cue — a signal
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cue — for pool
  21. lean — to bend
  22. cue — a hint
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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