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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. net — in sport
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rock — a stone
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. snap — to click
  12. net — for catching
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rock — music
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. net — after costs
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. rock — to move gently

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