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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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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. lie — to recline
  4. pit — a hole
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. tube — the underground
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. tube — a container
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. object — to protest
  11. pitch — completely
  12. object — a thing
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. object — an aim
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. dip — to sink

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