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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. track — to keep track
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. march — the month
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. tube — a container
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. track — a song
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. tube — the underground
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. track — a path
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. march — music
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. march — the month

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