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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. present — a gift
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. suit — in cards
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. pass — a permit
  11. present — there
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. stock — goods
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stock — shares
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. present — the time now

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