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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. firm — decided
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. wake — a trail
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. lean — to bend
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. firm — steady
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. firm — a company
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. pit — in a race
  17. lean — thin
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pit — a hole
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lash — to lash out

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