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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.

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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mate — to breed
  3. march — music
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. bass — low music
  10. season — of the year
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. march — the month
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pit — a hole
  18. mate — a friend
  19. season — in sport
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bass — the fish
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pit — in a race
  24. march — the month

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