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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  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. kick — a thrill
  2. rock — music
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. kick — in football
  5. rock — a stone
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. chip — to eat
  11. firm — a company
  12. rush — hurry
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. firm — decided
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. firm — steady
  19. chip — for betting
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — army training
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. drill — a practice
  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