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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. kick — in football
  6. cell — in biology
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. prune — to trim
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. prune — to trim
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rock — a stone
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cell — a phone
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. rock — music
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. fan — to cool the air

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