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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. band — a music group
  3. file — a document
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. file — a tool
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rash — a series
  8. mate — a partner
  9. band — a ring
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rash — hasty
  12. mate — a friend
  13. cue — a signal
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. cue — a hint
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mate — to breed
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. lash — an eyelash

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