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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 120 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. capital — money
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. cell — in biology
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cap — a hat
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. capital — a city
  13. cap — of ice
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fall — the season
  16. cap — a lid
  17. fall — to drop
  18. cell — a phone
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. calf — of the leg

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