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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. drill — army training
  3. kick — in football
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. ball — a great time
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. ball — a dance
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. net — in sport
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. net — for catching
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. drill — a practice
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. net — after costs
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. fork — in a road

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