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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. face — to point toward
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. club — for dancing
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — hasty
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. net — for catching
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. face — to confront
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. net — in sport
  22. face — part of the head
  23. sharp — clever
  24. net — after costs

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