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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 116 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. can — a tin
  7. row — a line
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. row — to paddle
  13. staff — employees
  14. rule — government
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. rule — a law
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. staff — employees
  19. ball — a great time
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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