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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 116 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fine — all right
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. rule — a law
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rest — a break
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rule — government
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. wake — a trail
  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