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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. rest — what's left
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — a hat
  11. sharp — clever
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rest — a break
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. cap — of ice
  24. hide — to keep secret

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