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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. roll — a cake
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rock — a stone
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. suit — clothes
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rock — music
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. suit — to fit
  22. roll — a list
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. roll — on a roll

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