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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.

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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. rule — government
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mug — a face
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. chip — for betting
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rule — a law
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. safe — out of danger

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