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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. kick — in football
  3. sharp — clever
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mug — a face
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. cap — a hat
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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