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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. mug — a face
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. deal — to handle
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mug — to rob
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wake — a trail
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. rush — hurry
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. lie — to recline

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