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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. roll — a list
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mate — a friend
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — a lid
  8. mug — to rob
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cap — of ice
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. mate — a partner
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. plane — a tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mug — a cup
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. roll — a cake
  23. mug — a face
  24. roll — on a roll

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