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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. saw — the tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. saw — the tool
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. suit — to fit
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. dip — to sink
  24. suit — clothes

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