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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. game — a match
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pop — soda
  9. rush — hurry
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. game — wild animals
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. capital — a city
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. kick — in football
  20. capital — money
  21. pop — to visit
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pop — music

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