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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · pound · hide · court · patient · mate · mouse · kick

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. court — of a king
  4. pound — a weight
  5. kick — in football
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. court — for sport
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. sharp — clever
  17. mate — a friend
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. court — of law
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mate — a partner
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. kick — a thrill

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