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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — in football
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. wake — a trail
  12. can — to be able to
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bulb — for light
  15. suit — clothes
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bulb — for light
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. suit — to fit
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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