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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bank — for money
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. content — the amount
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bank — of a river
  12. last — to go on
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. rash — a series
  16. last — finally
  17. last — final
  18. bank — for money
  19. content — happy
  20. rash — hasty
  21. wound — an injury
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. deal — a big deal

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