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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rash — a series
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rash — hasty
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. dip — to sink
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. mark — a grade
  14. shower — rain
  15. present — there
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. present — the time now
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. shower — to wash
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mark — a trace
  23. present — a gift
  24. dip — a sauce

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