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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · fan · kick · patient · leaves · lie · pop · pit

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pit — a hole
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pit — in a race
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. pop — music
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. kick — in football
  16. pop — soda
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pop — to visit
  24. leaves — to go away

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