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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bat — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. cell — in biology
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. key — the most important part
  13. charge — in control
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. charge — a price
  16. key — in music
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cell — a phone
  19. bark — to shout
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pass — a permit
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bat — in an idiom

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