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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. rest — a break
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. wax — to grow
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — of water
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. patient — a sick person

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