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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — of your body
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. mug — a cup
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mug — a face
  10. board — a committee
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. mug — to rob
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. chest — a box
  20. board — to get on
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. cabinet — ministers

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