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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. chair — a leader
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. roll — a cake
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. bear — the animal
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bear — the animal
  22. roll — a list
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. date — the fruit

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