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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. net — in sport
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. net — for catching
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. snap — to click
  17. net — after costs
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stand — on your feet

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