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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. hand — in cards
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pop — music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. pitch — completely
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. land — ground
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — to visit
  16. land — to come down
  17. bear — the animal
  18. hand — help
  19. land — a country
  20. fine — all right
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pitch — a sports field

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