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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 120 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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mug — a face
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. club — for dancing
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. club — for golf
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bear — the animal
  11. hand — in cards
  12. fall — to drop
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. mug — to rob
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. hand — help
  21. fall — the season
  22. mug — a cup
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. nail — for a hammer

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