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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. foot — a measure
  3. clip — to cut
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. mug — to rob
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. clip — for paper
  9. mark — a grade
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. degree — temperature
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mug — a face
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. degree — an amount
  18. clip — a video
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. mark — a trace
  21. degree — from a university
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mark — to pay attention

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