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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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. calf — a young animal
  4. season — of the year
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bound — obliged
  11. tube — a container
  12. club — for dancing
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bound — tied together
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bound — certain
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. club — a group
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — in sport
  24. club — for golf

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