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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mark — a trace
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. present — a gift
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. land — to come down
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. deal — to handle
  12. land — ground
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. present — the time now
  15. land — a country
  16. present — there
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. net — for catching
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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