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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pass — a permit
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. craft — boats
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. kick — in football
  14. face — part of the head
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. board — a committee
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. craft — a skill
  20. face — to point toward
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. board — to get on
  24. face — to confront

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