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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cell — in biology
  4. present — the time now
  5. degree — from a university
  6. cell — a phone
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. present — a gift
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mate — a partner
  13. degree — temperature
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. rule — government
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. degree — an amount
  20. mate — to breed
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rule — a law
  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