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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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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. spring — a coil
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. deal — to handle
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fine — high quality
  12. lie — to recline
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — of water
  15. fine — all right
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lie — an untruth

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