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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. craft — a skill
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. pound — a weight
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. toast — bread
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fork — in a road
  21. date — the fruit
  22. craft — boats
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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