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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. tube — a container
  3. bank — for money
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. track — a path
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. tube — the underground
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. lean — thin
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bank — for money
  21. wound — an injury
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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