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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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rock — a stone
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. squash — the sport
  6. snap — to click
  7. pit — in a race
  8. rock — music
  9. squash — to crush
  10. pit — a hole
  11. hand — help
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. land — a country
  21. land — ground
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. land — to come down

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