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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. track — to keep track
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rock — a stone
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. cold — an illness
  7. rule — government
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cold — not warm
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. last — to go on
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. track — a path
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. track — a song
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. last — finally
  22. rule — a law
  23. last — final
  24. rock — music

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