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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. degree — an amount
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. drill — a practice
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. club — for dancing
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chair — a leader
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. degree — from a university
  15. club — a group
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. drill — army training
  18. suit — clothes
  19. club — for golf
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. degree — temperature
  23. drill — the tool
  24. lie — to recline

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