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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. capital — money
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. rush — hurry
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bat — the animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. charge — a price
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. capital — a city
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. charge — in control
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. roll — a list
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. capital — a big letter

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