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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. court — of law
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. season — in sport
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. season — of the year
  20. court — for sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. court — of a king
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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