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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bear — the animal
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. staff — employees
  7. cap — a hat
  8. roll — a list
  9. roll — a cake
  10. cap — of ice
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bear — the animal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. staff — employees
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. dip — to sink
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. cap — a lid
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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