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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — the season
  4. staff — employees
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rule — government
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. spring — of water
  15. staff — employees
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. sharp — clever
  18. staff — a stick
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. rule — a law
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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