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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. bulb — for light
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. staff — employees
  9. spell — letters
  10. chest — a box
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — government
  14. spell — a short time
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. staff — a stick
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chest — of your body
  21. staff — employees
  22. spell — magic
  23. rule — a law
  24. kick — in football

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