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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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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mug — a cup
  4. deal — to handle
  5. can — a tin
  6. mug — a face
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. can — a tin
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mug — to rob
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. can — to be able to
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rush — hurry
  22. tear — to rip
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. tear — from crying

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