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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. staff — employees
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pass — a permit
  9. staff — a stick
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. staff — employees
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pound — a weight
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fine — all right
  24. patient — a sick person

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