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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. ground — a position
  4. object — a thing
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. suit — to fit
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. object — to protest
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — the earth
  15. wake — a trail
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. object — an aim
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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