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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. ball — a great time
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. squash — the sport
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bore — to drill
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. ball — a dance
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. track — a path

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