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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — a trail
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. face — part of the head
  9. rest — what's left
  10. saw — the tool
  11. face — to point toward
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hand — help
  15. face — to confront
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. hand — in cards
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. rest — a break
  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