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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 120 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. mate — to breed
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. staff — employees
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. track — a song
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bear — the animal
  15. hand — help
  16. staff — employees
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. track — a path
  20. mate — a partner
  21. hand — in cards
  22. staff — a stick
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mate — a friend

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