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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. tear — to rip
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. tear — from crying
  10. rule — a law
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rule — government
  13. roll — a cake
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. roll — a list
  20. mark — a trace
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. mate — a partner
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. roll — on a roll

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