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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. march — the month
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. club — for dancing
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rule — government
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. firm — steady
  14. rule — a law
  15. sharp — clever
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. march — music
  18. firm — decided
  19. march — the month
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. firm — a company
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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