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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. march — the month
  4. dip — to sink
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cold — not warm
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cold — an illness
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. pound — a weight
  16. deal — to handle
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. march — music
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. march — the month
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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