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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. face — part of the head
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. current — happening now
  8. face — to confront
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rule — government
  14. current — electric
  15. face — to point toward
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. rest — a break
  18. current — of water
  19. ball — a dance
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rule — a law
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rule — to rule out

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