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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. staff — employees
  3. key — in music
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. staff — employees
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. chest — a box
  16. key — the most important part
  17. charge — in control
  18. staff — a stick
  19. chest — of your body
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. chest — of your body
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. calf — a young animal

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