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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.

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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. mug — a face
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. scale — size or range
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. mug — a cup
  13. rash — a series
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. track — to keep track
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. ground — a position
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. scale — in music
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mug — to rob

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