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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. club — a group
  4. ground — a position
  5. rule — a law
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rule — government
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. staff — employees
  11. ground — the earth
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — for golf
  16. ground — crushed
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. staff — a stick
  20. craft — a skill
  21. vault — a safe
  22. staff — employees
  23. craft — boats
  24. patient — a sick person

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