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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pass — a permit
  6. court — of a king
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. kick — in football
  13. mug — a cup
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mug — a face
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. court — for sport
  19. toast — bread
  20. court — of law
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. club — a group
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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