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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mine — for digging
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — a group
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. club — for golf

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