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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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. stand — to bear
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. charge — a price
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. file — a line of people
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. snap — to click
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. charge — in control
  21. object — an aim
  22. charge — electricity
  23. file — a tool
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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