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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — finally
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pop — soda
  13. mug — to rob
  14. kick — in football
  15. mug — a cup
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pop — music
  18. last — final
  19. prune — to trim
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mug — a face
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pop — to visit
  24. nail — for a hammer

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