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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 124 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. firm — steady
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. object — an aim
  6. firm — decided
  7. object — to protest
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. firm — a company
  11. kick — in football
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. object — a thing
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. tube — a container
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rule — to rule out

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