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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fine — all right
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. capital — a city
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. fine — high quality
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. capital — money
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. patient — a sick person

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