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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cap — of ice
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. mark — a trace
  6. fine — all right
  7. roll — a list
  8. mark — a grade
  9. hand — in cards
  10. cap — a hat
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. fine — high quality
  14. kick — in football
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. roll — a cake
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. roll — on a roll

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