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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. court — for sport
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. mate — to breed
  6. wake — a trail
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ball — a great time
  10. land — to come down
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. court — of law
  16. court — of a king
  17. land — ground
  18. mate — a partner
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. ball — a dance
  21. land — a country
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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