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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. last — finally
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mate — a partner
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mate — a friend
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. ball — a dance
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. last — final
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mate — to breed
  21. craft — boats
  22. last — to go on
  23. ball — a great time
  24. racket — a loud noise

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