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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 120 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pound — a weight
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. tube — the underground
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. club — a group
  18. stand — to bear
  19. tube — a container
  20. club — for golf
  21. object — to protest
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. stand — on your feet

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