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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. charge — a price
  5. fine — high quality
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rule — government
  8. wake — a trail
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. charge — in control
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. ball — a dance
  15. charge — electricity
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. ball — a great time
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. rule — a law
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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