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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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468
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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. rest — a break
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. present — a gift
  10. bear — the animal
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rule — government
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rash — a series
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rule — a law
  21. present — the time now
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. patient — a sick person

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