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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. drill — a practice
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. tear — from crying
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. land — a country
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bear — the animal
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. deal — to handle
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — army training
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. tear — from crying
  23. kick — in football
  24. cabinet — ministers

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