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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 120 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. present — there
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pitch — completely
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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