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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stand — to bear
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fine — high quality
  15. squash — to crush
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fine — all right
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. fan — a supporter

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