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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mug — a face
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — government
  14. mug — to rob
  15. chair — a leader
  16. sharp — clever
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mug — a cup
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rule — a law
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. chair — a professorship

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