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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pound — a weight
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bass — the fish
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bass — low music
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cell — in biology
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. object — to protest
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. cell — a phone
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. object — an aim
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. object — a thing

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