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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. clip — a video
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. rock — music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bore — to tire
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bear — the animal
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bore — to drill
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. clip — to cut
  23. clip — for paper
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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