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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. deal — to handle
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. ball — a dance
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rest — a break
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to click
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wound — an injury
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wound — an injury

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