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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. game — a match
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. prune — to trim
  10. club — a group
  11. bark — to shout
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. club — for golf
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. prune — to trim

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