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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 116 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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. deal — to handle
  3. present — the time now
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. club — for golf
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. present — there
  10. kick — in football
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. spring — of water
  17. club — a group
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — a coil
  20. present — a gift
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bowl — to roll

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