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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. season — to add flavour
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. rule — a law
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. season — in sport
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. season — of the year
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. present — the time now
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. rule — government
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. present — there
  22. deal — to handle
  23. present — a gift
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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