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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 120 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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rash — hasty
  10. tube — the underground
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. tube — a container
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. foot — a measure
  22. rash — a series
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wind — moving air

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