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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cap — a lid
  3. rock — music
  4. cap — a hat
  5. swing — to play on
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. swing — music
  8. chair — a leader
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. cap — of ice
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rock — a stone
  17. swing — in golf
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fan — a supporter

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