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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bear — the animal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. clip — to cut
  8. club — a group
  9. bear — the animal
  10. club — for golf
  11. clip — for paper
  12. clip — a video
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ball — a dance

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