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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mark — a trace
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rest — a break
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bore — to tire
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mark — a grade
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. ball — a dance
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a cup
  23. scale — in music
  24. bore — to drill

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