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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. tube — the underground
  8. pit — in a race
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. stand — to bear
  13. tube — a container
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. kick — in football
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. calf — a young animal

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