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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. game — a match
  6. swing — to play on
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. suit — to fit
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. lie — to recline
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. suit — clothes
  20. swing — music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. suit — in cards
  23. game — wild animals
  24. lie — an untruth

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