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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bulb — for light
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. saw — the tool
  11. club — for golf
  12. saw — the tool
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ball — a great time
  15. club — for dancing
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. club — a group
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. bulb — for light
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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