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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. kid — to tease
  7. bear — the animal
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. ball — a great time
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. kid — child
  19. lean — thin
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wave — with your hand

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