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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. track — to keep track
  3. tube — a container
  4. track — a path
  5. spell — magic
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. spell — letters
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. tube — the underground
  16. spell — a short time
  17. track — a song
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. rest — a break
  24. pass — a permit

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