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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. hand — in cards
  3. pit — a hole
  4. capital — money
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rest — a break
  8. wake — a trail
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rest — what's left
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pit — in a race
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rest — what's left
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. capital — a city
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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