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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 116 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. court — of law
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of a king
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. fine — all right
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fine — high quality
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. deal — to handle

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