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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fine — high quality
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bore — to drill
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stock — shares
  19. kick — in football
  20. stock — goods
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bore — to tire
  24. swing — music

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