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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. present — a gift
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pop — soda
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. present — there
  7. fine — all right
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. field — farmland
  10. pop — to visit
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pop — music
  13. field — a subject
  14. rock — a stone
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rock — music
  19. field — for sport
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. present — the time now
  24. patient — a sick person

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