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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. court — of a king
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. tear — to rip
  10. mark — a trace
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. court — of law
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. tear — from crying
  19. court — for sport
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lie — to recline
  24. mark — a grade

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