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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mug — to rob
  5. fall — the season
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — music
  8. hand — in cards
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mug — a face
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. toast — bread
  16. pop — to visit
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mouse — for a computer

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