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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. club — a group
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. swing — music
  7. club — for golf
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. swing — to play on
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. club — for dancing
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. bear — the animal
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. kick — in football
  23. snap — to click
  24. trunk — of a car

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