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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bat — the animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. mine — for digging
  11. firm — steady
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. toast — bread
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. kick — in football
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. toast — the most admired

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