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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. row — a line
  3. last — to go on
  4. present — the time now
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. last — finally
  10. present — there
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. present — a gift
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. row — to paddle
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. last — final

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