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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — a thing
  6. hand — help
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. object — an aim
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cap — a lid
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — all right
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cap — a hat
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. hand — in cards
  22. cap — of ice
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fine — high quality

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