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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. club — for golf
  9. pop — soda
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ball — a great time
  12. club — a group
  13. snap — to click
  14. kick — in football
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rush — hurry
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pop — music
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. ball — a dance
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pop — to visit
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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