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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mate — a partner
  4. rash — a series
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mate — to breed
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rash — hasty
  10. cell — in biology
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cell — a phone
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. suit — to fit
  18. rock — music
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rash — on the skin

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