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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 120 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mate — a friend
  3. perch — the fish
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. mark — a trace
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mate — to breed
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rule — a law
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rule — government
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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