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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bound — certain
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. kick — in football
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bound — tied together
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. kid — child
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. kid — to tease
  17. tube — a container
  18. bound — obliged
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. tube — the underground

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