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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 covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mate — to breed
  6. rest — what's left
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bound — certain
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. ground — a position
  12. mate — a partner
  13. fine — all right
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. ground — crushed
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rest — a break

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