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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cue — a signal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cue — for pool
  6. hand — in cards
  7. cue — a hint
  8. lie — to recline
  9. net — in sport
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. net — for catching
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. net — after costs
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. hand — help
  18. plane — a tool
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. ruler — a monarch

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