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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. firm — a company
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. snap — to click
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — hasty
  12. firm — decided
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. staff — a stick
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. staff — employees
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. firm — steady
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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