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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. degree — from a university
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. degree — temperature
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. degree — an amount
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. dip — to sink
  24. rest — what's left

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