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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pass — a permit
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bank — of a river
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bank — for money
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. charge — electricity
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. charge — a price
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cell — a phone
  16. prune — to trim
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. charge — in control
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bank — for money
  24. pass — to spend time

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