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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. court — of law
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. date — the fruit
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bear — the animal
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. capital — money
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. mug — a cup
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mug — to rob
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. toast — bread
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. mug — a face
  23. bear — the animal
  24. capital — a city

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