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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mark — a grade
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pop — to visit
  10. craft — boats
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pop — soda
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. craft — a skill
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lie — to recline
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. pop — music
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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