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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. mate — a partner
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. current — happening now
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mate — to breed
  12. current — of water
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. branch — a division
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — a phone
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mate — a friend
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. pound — a weight
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cell — in biology
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. current — electric

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